PCCI offers more opportunities for expanding Japanese firms

MANILA, Philippines - Alfredo M. Yao, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), told a 100-man delegation from the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) that the Philippines is primed for expansions by Japanese companies due to the country’s improving standing in global competitiveness and fast rate of economic growth.

Yao welcomed the high-level delegation during the Philippines-Japan economic dialogue last Thursday (Feb. 5) between the Japan CCI, PCCI and the Philippine – Japan Economic Cooperation Council.

Head of the country’s largest business organization, Yao said that the partnership of PCCI with the JCCI has been evolving from manufacturing to technology transfer to services and emerging industries.

This evolving partnership covers tourism, the retirement industry, information – technology related services, the capital market, agriculture and agri-business, land development, and energy exploration.

The PCCI president said that Japanese companies would access the Asean integrated market by developing or strengthening their presence in the Philippines.

He pointed out that many Japanese companies have already positioned themselves in the Asean by including the Philippines as part of their global supply chains.

More partnerships could evolve from opportunities in manufacturing, technology transfer, services, and emerging industries such as tourism, retirement industry, IT-related services, capital markets, agriculture and agri-business, land development, and energy exploration.

The PCCI head urged the Japanese and Filipino businessmen to exchange best practices, business missions, and the conduct of trainings and other types of business networking activities as these lead to potential tie-ups.

Yao acknowledged the leadership of Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa and Dr. Akio Mimura, JCCI chairman and a former chairman and current advisor of Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Corporation, for maintaining and further encouraging the interest of more Japanese companies to come to the Philippines and pursue potential collaborations with Philippine companies.