PCCI plans to gather 4 Presidents in forum

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the largest businessmen group in the country, has vowed to gather the four Philippine presidents in a forum early next year to discuss how they can work together to achieve growth.

“We are currently talking to the four presidents. There are some who have already agreed,” Samie Lim, president of PCCI said in an interview.

“I believe the PCCI is the only group which can convince them to come together,” he added.

Lim said because the PCCI is a large organization, there are some members who are talking to the presidents individually.

“Some are talking to President Arroyo. There will be others convincing President (Fidel V.) Ramos, President (Corazon C.) Aquino and President (Joseph E.) Estrada,” Lim said.

According to him, some details of the forum still need to be ironed out like the location of the forum and the method.

“We don’t know yet if we will talk to them collectively or hold individual round table discussions,” Lim said.

Lim said there may be some who will not be amenable to appearing together in a single forum so provisions are being made to hold a series of talks with the presidents.

Also, Lim said the presidents will have to agree on the moderator. To solve this particular problem, Lim said they will ask the presidents to submit names of acceptable moderators and then choose from the short list.

Lim said they are also not certain whether the forum will be open to the public or if it will be aired live on television.

“It would be a great signal for foreign investors that finally the four leaders are united for the country,” he said.

This, he said will erase most if not all doubts of foreign investors with regards to the political stability of the country.