Growth prospects remain challenging - Paderanga

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines may have escaped an economic recession last year, but growth prospects in 2010 will likely remain challenging, said noted economist Dr. Cayetano Paderanga, Jr.

Speaking before executives from nearly 100 companies during the Globe Business Forum, Paderanga noted that while the Philippine economy will remain resilient, companies will likely face relatively high costs brought on by poor infrastructure, sluggish investments and volatility in energy prices.

Paderanga is a former director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority and member of the Bangko Sentral’s Monetary Board. He is currently chairman of the Institute for Development and Econometric Analysis, and Foundation for Integrative and Development Studies.

Paderanga’s talk offered insights that would help businesses scope out the areas for growth in 2010.

Meanwhile, Feng Shui expert Tony Suvega also gave some tips and pointers to various businesses for the Year of the Tiger. Suvega is the Feng Shui consultant for many high-end residential condominium developers.

During the forum, Globe Business also provided enabling tools that would allow companies to improve productivity and increase cost-efficiency to help companies further their growth amidst the challenges in today’s business environment. One of these is ONEcall, the first and only virtual trunkline service in the Philippines.

ONEcall transforms existing Globe cellphones into a powerful business phone system - a virtual trunkline where all the extensions or local numbers are made up of mobile phones of employees. Thus, customers will need to remember just one landline office number to reach the company, whose employees will get the call in their Globe cellphones.

“ONEcall provides lower rates for calls made within a calling circle, or what we call the business loop,” said Gerald Javier, Corporate Segment Acquisition manager of Globe Business Corporate and SME Marketing, “It helps companies cut on costs but at the same time improves the way they communicate with their employees, suppliers and other business contacts.”