Opportunities beyond 2016 to be highlighted in the Philippines Business & Investment Forum

The Philippines’ Secretary of Finance, Cesar V. Purisima, and the Governor of the BangkoSentral ng Pilipinas, AmandoM. Tetangco, Jr., will lead the Philippine delegation and deliver keynote addresses at the Philippines Business & Investment Forum (PBIF), to take place on March 3 in New York. The event has been initiated under the leadership of H.E. Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United States of America.

With upcoming May 2016 elections, the international investors’ community is looking at the political panorama that may influence Philippine economic policy. Investors need to consider the right information before making investment decisions. Chief of their concerns: having enough confidence that electoral politics and outcomes will not roll back the successful reforms and gains made in this administration.

The Philippines Business & Investment Forum in New York will bring together influential leaders from the Filipino government and private sector, along with their U.S. and relevant international counterparts, for an in-depth analysis of the Philippine economic and political situation, and the opportunities it holds for investors, both in capital markets and in industry.

Other key figures who will be speaking at the event include Ramon Jimenez, Jr., Secretary of Tourism; Enrique Razon, Chairman & president of ICTSI; Gregory Domingo, former Secretary of Trade and Industry; Amb. John Negroponte, Co-Chair of the US Philippines Society; Roberto Garcia, Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority; Arthur Tan, CEO of IMI Global; Alexander B. Cabrera, Chairman and Senior Partner, PwC – Isla Lapina; Roberto de Ocampo, Co-Vice Chairman, Makati Business Club; Alexander Feldman, President & CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council; and John Goyer, Senior Director South East Asia for the US Chamber of Commerce.

The lead partners for the event are the Government of the Philippines and the US Philippines Society. Otherinstitutional partners are The Makati Business Club, the US ASEAN Business Council, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, and AMCHAM Philippines.

The PBIF will take place over three days: a welcome networking event in Manhattan on March 2; the central forum on March 3, which will be a full day forum of panel discussions and keynote speeches focused on the outlook and investment opportunities within the Philippine economy; and private roundtable discussions on March 4.

The objectives of this forum are to convey the continuity of the administration’s economic policy fundamentals through the next electoral cycle, to evaluate investment plans and specific prospects in strategic sectors,and to provide a platform for direct networking and business.

Secretary of Finance, Cesar V. Purisima, looks forward to headlining the event saying, “The Philippines has a great economic story to tell. Our turnaround from ‘the sick man of Asia’ to the region’s resilient, bright spot is something that the Filipino people can be proud of. It is a product of painstaking discipline and good governance. We want to go out there and share the fact that despite strong external headwinds, the Philippines is here to stay as a place for growth.”

“Many have placed their faith in our future as investment partners; they have not been failed with the continued rollout of our good governance agenda. We’d like to invite more partners to come write our story of growth with us for the next 6 years and even beyond.” Purisima added.

Governor of theBangkoSentral ng Pilipinas, AmandoM. Tetangco, Jr., commented, “The Philippines has transformed over the years to become one of the most resilient economies in the world, owing to strong fundamentals that include low and stable inflation, and sound financial system backed by prudent monetary policy and banking supervision.”

“Through the PBIF, we will be able to elaborate on how we did it. We will also be able to give potential investors and other observers a picture of where the economy may be headed, as well as the various opportunities that await them,” the BSP Governor added.

The PBIF is being organized by InvivaLink, a company specialized in the production of business and investment conferences.