MVP hosts US-Philippines Society board meeting, business mission

MANILA, Philippines — US-Philippines Society co-chair Manuel V. Pangilinan will host a Board of Directors meeting and Business Mission in Manila on Feb. 19-20.

Leading the US delegation will be co-chair John D. Negroponte, former ambassador to the Philippines and deputy secretary of state. The Society’s bi-national board includes business, professional and civic leaders who will convene to explore ways to sustain and broaden bilateral cooperation and private sector relationships following political transitions in both countries over the past year and a half.

The Society’s two-day program offers a timely opportunity to promote trade and investment ties after a recent series of high level official Philippine-American exchanges highlighted by the November meetings last year in Manila between Presidents Duterte and Trump.

Delegates will review new tax reform legislation in both countries that provides incentives for stimulating business and job growth, and welcome prospects for lowering trade/investment barriers and enhancing cyber security. They look forward to a productive exchange of views with senior government officials on shared regional and bilateral concerns, including added protections for Filipino OFWs.

Members of the board look forward to meeting with President Duterte and his economic team led by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez to gain a fuller understanding of the administration’s domestic and foreign policy priorities. Delegates hope to learn more about sectors that can benefit from increased American investment and will encourage Philippine businesses to look at new investment opportunities in the US.

The Society also values the opportunity to gain insights from Philippine legislative members, private sector counterparts, and American Ambassador Sung Y. Kim. The Society is especially grateful for the support and strong engagement of newly appointed Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose M. Romualdez who will accompany the delegation and welcome members to Manila. The Society also acknowledges with gratitude its ongoing partnership with the Philippines-United States Business Council and the Makati Business Club.

As an independent, non-partisan, combined Filipino-American organization, the Society plays an important role in fostering mutual understanding of the dynamics underpinning the longstanding US-Philippines relationship. According to US-Philippines Society President Ambassador John F. Maisto, “We come to Manila as a private, non-political delegation to support and strengthen the modern multi-dimensional 21st century US-Philippines relationship, and to seek advice and support for carrying the Society’s mission forward in 2018.”