Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto was named as Special Envoy of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., and Head the Philippine delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 20 to 24, 2025 to secure more investments that will drive inclusive economic growth in the Philippines.
Under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” the 2025 WEF Annual Meeting will convene nearly 3,000 global leaders, including heads of state, government officials, top business executives, and influential figures from international organizations across 130 nations. The Forum aims to spark dialogue, build trust, and drive sustainable solutions to critical global challenges.
Secretary Recto will take the opportunity to actively engage with international partners to bring home more investments that will develop the Philippines’ high-impact industries, improve the logistics backbone, strengthen the workforce, and expand Artificial Intelligence (AI) and financial inclusion initiatives.
These investments are aimed to create more jobs for Filipinos, increase their incomes, and reduce poverty to ensure meaningful and inclusive economic progress for the country.
During the Forum, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque, and Ambassador and Philippine Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Manuel Antonio J. Teehankee will join Secretary Recto in hosting an economic briefing for global investors at the Philippine Breakfast Interaction.
Joining him from the private sector are Mynt/Gcash President and CEO Martha Sazon; LT Group Inc. President Lucio Tan III; LT Group Inc. Director and President of Asia Brewery Inc. Michael Tan; Grab Philippines Chief Corporate Officer Sherielysse Bonifacio; and Benguet Corporation Director Maria Remedios Romualdez-Pompidou.
The event will showcase the country’s promising potential as the next big investment destination, especially with the recent enactment of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act.
On top of this, Secretary Recto is scheduled to hold one-on-one meetings with top global companies, including banks, manufacturers, and technology companies to discuss possible investment and expansion opportunities.
In the following days, Secretary Recto will take part in the ASEAN Leaders for Just Energy Transition Forum to engage in collaborative action to advance the countries’ shared commitment towards an equitable and fair clean energy transition. He will be joined by the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and key business leaders in the energy and transportation sectors.
Secretary Recto will also represent the Asia Pacific Region in a lunch with economic forecasters to discuss scenarios for 2025 and learn about the current trends that could shape the economy. Joining him are Nigeria Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Wale Edun and prominent academicians and economists.
The Finance Chief will also serve as a panelist at a forum hosted by the Tony Blair Institute and Coinbase on Harnessing Transformational Technologies: Governing in the Age of AI and Digital Assets. He will be joined by fellow Ministers and global tech companies to explore how governments can leverage AI, blockchain, and digital ID to streamline trade, unlock economic potential, and foster stronger public-private collaboration.
The Secretary is also scheduled to have interviews with Bloomberg and Reuters.
The WEF is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation, serving as a global, impartial, and not-for-profit platform that fosters meaningful connections among stakeholders.
Founded in 1971, the WEF has evolved into a premier global platform, convening annually to bring together leaders from government, business, and civil society to establish trust and drive collaborative initiatives for progress and sustainable development.
