Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez expressed strong optimism for more foreign investments into the Philippines that would create more jobs and propel economic growth following productive engagements of the Philippine delegation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025.
“The discussions we held in Davos reaffirm the immense potential of the Philippines as a key destination for global investments,” Romualdez, leader of the 300-plus strong House of Representatives, said in a press release Jan. 26.
“We are grateful to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for sending a delegation that has showcased the many reasons why global investors should choose the Philippines. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive, and I am confident that this will translate to more investments that will fuel our economic growth,” he added.
He thanked members of the Philippine delegation, which included Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Trade and Industry Secretary Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, and influential business leaders from various sectors for their significant contributions to promoting the country’s economic opportunities.
As part of the Philippine delegation, Romualdez participated in high-level discussions and engaged with prominent global business leaders and officials.
One of the highlights was his participation as a panelist in the Stakeholder Dialogue titled “Navigating Asia’s Hotspots”, where he emphasized the country’s balanced geopolitical approach and commitment to economic stability.
The Philippine delegation also hosted the Philippine Breakfast Interaction at WEF which convened close to 50 international public and private sector leaders for a briefing on the Philippine economy and its bright potential as the next big investment destination.
Among the notable guests during the event were Marcus Wallenberg, chairman of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken; Philippe Amon, chairman and CEO of SICPA SA; Catarina Amon, CEO and founder of Classeek; Anthony Tan, CEO and co-founder of Grab; John Riady, Group CEO of Lippo Indonesia; Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia; and Calvin Choi, CEO of AMTD.
Also present were Jay Collins, vice chairman of Citi; Helena Lersch, vice president of Public Policy of Tiktok; Amit Kalyani, vice-chairman and joint managing director of Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited; and Albert Chang, managing partner of Southeast Asia, and McKinsey & Co., among others.
During the discussions, the PH delegation showcased the Philippines’ robust domestic economy driven by e-commerce, making the country the fastest-growing digital economy in ASEAN in 2024.
They also highlighted legislative reforms under the Marcos administration as concrete manifestation of the readiness of the Philippines to listen to investors’ concerns towards enhancing the business climate in the country, including the Create More, or Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy law, signed in November last year. ||