APEC trip ‘fruitful and productive’
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. arrived late Saturday night from a “fruitful” and “productive” trip from the 29th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) where he advanced the country’s interests and brought home pledges for more job opportunities for Filipinos and possible new cooperation and investments from other countries in food, agriculture energy and addressing climate change, among others.
“We discussed with the other leaders all of the issues that our countries have been facing and are facing, and what possible solutions we have for the problems that we see that are upcoming,” the President said shortly after arriving at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City from his four-day visit to Thailand.
“The most important thing that I was able to surmise or to understand from this meeting was very simple — that it is very encouraging because the problems, as we have identified them, seem to be the same problems for most of the countries. In other words, we have a consonance of views and analyses on the things that are to be of concern. And furthermore, the solutions for that are things that we now have formulated,” he added.
Marcos said the overarching global concern of every APEC member economy is climate change but there were also concerns about the economy, geopolitics, food supply chains, digitalization, and the empowerment of women, similar to what were raised during the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
He said aside from the ASEAN countries, these concerns were also shared by other nations, including the United States, Russian Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, among others.
“It’s not just the Asean, but all of these other countries around the Pacific. So, it was really very much a world forum that we could hear from countries from very far apart, what are the issues that they are facing that they would like to partner with APEC and with specific countries in solving,” he said.
The President said the Philippines committed to “play our part in APEC” and undertake all that it can to help the Asia Pacific region reach its goals, contribute to its success, and reach its “ultimate aspiration…to return to its old role as a driver of the global economy.
“If we do all of the things that we are planning to do, that will come back again. And we once again will be at the forefront of the global economy,” Marcos said, adding that after his participation in APEC and his getting across the Philippines’ stand on several issues, the other leaders “now know me. They know what I’m about.”
On the sidelines of APEC, the President had bilateral meetings with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, France, Australia, New Zealand and China and he had received invitations from other leaders to visit their countries soon.
In a media interview in Bangkok before he left for Manila, he said he accepted the invitation of five countries and wants to go to all the countries that invited him added it is a matter of scheduling and prioritizing what he needs to do first and accomplish, especially in the country.
“What countries have invited me? All. What countries will I accept? All,” he said and mentioned that among those that invited him were France, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Australia and Vietnam.
Several countries during the Asean summit had also invited Marcos and he had said he wants to schedule the trips sometime next year.
BUSINESS, INVESTMENTS
The President also attended business meetings such as the APEC CEO Summit where he expressed his views on the present global economic conditions and talked about the country’s policies to improve its economy, and meetings with the business executives of some companies such as Thai-based Siam Cement Group (SCG) who said they intend to expand their business in the Philippines and support the infrastructure projects of the administration.
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, during a separate meeting with Thai business leaders in Bangkok, touted key economic reforms adopted by the Marcos administration to increase the country’s appeal to foreign investors.
Pascual reiterated Marcos’ previous statement that “the Philippines is open for business” and several reforms had already been undertaken “to make the Philippines even more attractive for investors and businesses” such as the easing of foreign ownership restrictions by amending the Public Service Act, the Foreign Investment Act and the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, and enacting the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE), which reduces corporate income tax and provides tier-specific incentives for foreign investors.
Kriengkrai Thiennukul, Federation of Thai Industries chairman, welcomed the measures adopted by the Philippines and said that “through stronger partnerships between the Philippines and Thailand, the two countries can help each other in bolstering economic growth.
“We are ready to support… investing in food security and infrastructure such as transportation and promoting tourism with the Philippines to enhance the business sector for mutual expansion between the two countries in the future,” Thiennukul said.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President George Barcelon, who was part of the President’s delegation to Thailand, said there are Thai firms that are interested in investing in the Philippines while there are those that already have existing business and are ready to expand such as the CP Group which has a big investment in the Philippines’ aqua feed products, poultry and food-related investments.
Barcelon said the areas of investment that the Thais are interested in are energy and telecommunications.
FILCOM AND ROYALS
While in Thailand, the President and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos also called on the Royal Family and thanked them for the warm reception.
Marcos also met with the Filipino community in Thailand and thanked them for their never-ending support to the country through the work that they do abroad, which is instrumental in promoting the country and making the Filipino workers known as excellent and hard workers.
He also talked about his administration’s plans for the next six years, including efforts of the government to promote and protect the interests of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and ensure they have access and receive government services that are due them.
There are more than 30,000 Filipinos in Thailand, mostly working as English teachers and employees in the Kingdom’s hospitality industry.
The President also announced the establishment of a new Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Thailand that would help in the promotion and protection of the rights and the welfare of Filipinos in the said country.
“It is a big thing, and it will hasten the delivery of those you need. We can depend on Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople who had long advocated for this,” Marcos said.
