Powerhouse US team arriving to scout for opportunities in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Business corporations from the United States (US) are visiting the country this week to seek trade and investment opportunities.

In a statement, the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC said the “powerhouse” delegation would be in Manila from tomorrow (Jan. 23) until Friday.

The delegation would be led by the US-Philippines Society, a non-profit organization which seeks to raise the profile of the country in the US.

The Society was formally established during President Aquino’s visit to Washington last year. It is co-chaired by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. chair Manuel Pangilinan and former US Ambassador to the Philippines John Negroponte.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose L. Cuisia Jr. said the delegation would include executives of top companies such as Citigroup, Chevron, Coca Cola, General Electric, JP Morgan Chase, Procter & Gamble, Peregrine Development International, CV Starr & Co., the US Education Finance Group, McLarty & Associates, Federal Express and Spence & Co.

“The delegation will participate in a dynamic program aimed at strengthening ties with political and business leaders, fostering discussion of strategic issues, and promoting business and investment opportunities,” he said.

He said the delegation would call on Aquino and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

The company representatives would likewise participate in a policy forum with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo.

The policy forum would feature Ambassador Negroponte and two other former ambassadors to Manila—Thomas Hubbard and Richard Murphy as speakers to discuss the strategic environment in the region as well as policy directions with the beginning of the second term of US President Barack Obama.

Apart from the policy forum, the delegation would meet with US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr., and with local business leaders.

The delegation would likewise conduct visits to the Global Gateway Logistics City at the Clark Freeport in Pampanga; the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions of the Department of Trade and Industry; and the Asian Institute of Management,

The delegation would also take part on the second regular meeting of the Board of Directors which is made up of civic and business leaders from the US and the Philippines, as well.

Following the Society’s launch, it collaborated with the Philippine Embassy in sponsoring conferences on governance, development and security, and judicial reform featuring senior Philippine political and academic leaders.