Business missions from Chile, Pakistan to arrive this month

MANILA, Philippines - Business missions from Chile and Pakistan are expected to visit the country this month to explore opportunities, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said.

PCCI president Alfredo Yao said in a telephone interview the business mission from Chile would be led by the Minister for Economy and composed of representatives of firms engaged in various businesses.

The mission from Pakistan, meanwhile, is being organized by the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan.

The PCCI intends to hold a business forum for the visiting missions to promote partnerships between foreign and local firms as well as attract investments to be made in the country.

“We will be encouraging partnerships between foreign and Philippine firms. We will also ask them (visiting companies) to make the Philippines their hub in the Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), ” Yao said.

By setting up plants and making the Philippines a hub, Yao said, foreign companies could benefit in terms of duty-free entry of goods to other Asean markets.

The Asean, which will establish an economic community by the end of this year, is expected to allow free flow of goods, services, skilled labor, investments and capital within the region.

The Asean’s economic integration would open opportunities for businesses operating here as the country is part of the region which is set to become among the largest economies in the world with a combined consumer market of over 600 million people.

Among the advantages of the Philippines among its peers in the region is the availability of a young English-speaking workforce that is easy to train.

The PCCI is working with its partner organizations in other parts of the world in hosting business missions here.

The business missions are intended to allow visiting companies to see what the Philippines has to offer.

The business group supports the government’s goal of attracting more investments here, as well as achieving inclusive economic growth through the creation of jobs.