Phl Embassy in Brasilia Hosts the 3rd Regular Meeting of BPBCF

 

The Philippine Embassy in Brasilia successfully hosted the Third Regular Meeting of the Brazil-Philippines Business Cooperation Forum (BPBCF) on March 31 at the Official Residence of the Philippines Ambassador.

Seventeen businessmen and government officials from the Brazilian States of Goias, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, Espiritu Santo and the Federal District attended the Meeting. In attendance were Dr. Somchai Ansuj, Philippine Consul General, a.h.; Dr. Celso Pimentel; Dr. William Leyser O’Dwyer, Executive Superintendent for Foreign Trade of the State of Goias; Mr. Gustavo Bernard, Political Advisor of Senator Ana Amélia de Lemos; and Secretary Adriano Giacomet of the Ministry of External Relations and businessmen.

In his Welcome Remarks, Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Jose D.R. Burgos informed the attendees that in just five months from its launching, the BPBCF is now on the verge of realizing its goal, among others, to organize a Brazilian delegation of businessmen and government officials to the Philippines to be led by Governor Marconi Ferreira Perillo, Jr. of the State of Goias in November 2016. He wished that everyone will be able to see for themselves, through the Meeting and through their visit to the Philippines, that whether for business or for pleasure, it truly is More Fun in the Philippines.

Dr. Ansuj gave a short presentation on the ASEAN Economic Community. The attendees were impressed to know that between 2007 and 2014, ASEAN GDP nearly doubled while trade increased by US$1 trillion. If taken as one economic entity, ASEAN economy was the 7th largest in the world in 2014. Also in 2014, intra-ASEAN investment of US$24 billion was the 2nd highest source of FDI in the world. As a whole, ASEAN attracted US$136 billion in FDI in 2014.

Source: www.dfa.gov.ph Date accessed: 05 Abril 2016