Phl, France up for closer trade ties

“Expect more French people investing in the Philippines.”

CEBU, Philippines - The French Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (FCCP) is forging much closer relationship with the Philippine business organizations, initially through the Makati Business Club (MBC), to further promote trade exchanges between the Philippines and France.

In an interview yesterday, FCCP president Cyril Rocke said that the French investment community is bullish about the Philippine economy, at least for French investors who have already established operations here.

However, Rocke said the fertile investment charm of the Philippines should be supported by a strong promotional campaign to France, as a large number of French businesses do not have in-depth idea about the Philippines.

FCCP, which has over 1,500 members in the Philippines, vows to help promote the image of France to the Philippines and vice versa, with the aid of MBC and the France Business Council.

Initially, the groups will organize a big exhibition in France this year, displaying pre-colonial arts in the Philippines, the country’s artifacts and textile, among others.

The chamber will create a replica of the exhibition in Manila during the French Week on June 17 to 22 this year.

Significantly, FCCP will focus on two exchanges between the two countries, particularly in the fields of culture and education.

In Cebu, Rocke said there is a growing number of companies and French business community such as a cement company in Danao City called La Farge, a call center firm TelePerformance, cosmetics and beauty brands L'oreal and Maybelline, and some gas station brand. 

The chamber, however, is not yet planning to open a chapter here in the short term as it is also collaborating with the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP).

According to Rocke, the French investors see the Philippines economy as "booming"' and that the country shall expect more French investments in the next couple of years.

However, he warned that aside from promoting the Philippines to the French investors, there is also a need for the Philippines to curb or solve its endemic problems such as bureaucracy and corruption in the government, among others.

While the country’s economic performance is going stronger, it has also become a more fertile ground for investments in infrastructure, consumer goods, food, and even outsourcing and information and communications technology (ICT), he said. /JMD