(Target ng Australian biz mission) INVESTMENTS SA PH MINING, AGRI, ENERGY

NASA bansa ang top Australian business leaders para sa Australian Business Mission na naglalayong palakasin ang economic ties sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at ng Australia habang tinatarget ang priority sectors, kabilang ang mining, agriculture, energy, at education.

Inilarawan ni Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu ang landmark mission bilang “supercharged” kung saan nakaharap ng mga kilalang business leader sa Australia ang top Philippine conglomerate officials, gsyundin ang economic managers ng Philippine government.

“This mission is about further deepening our trade and investment relationship for two-way, not one-way, but two-way trade and investment relationship,” pahayag ni Ambassador Yu sa mga reporter sa sideline ng event.

Masaya si Xavier Simonet, Chief Executive Officer ng Australia Trade and Investment Commission, sa kinalabasan ng mission sa kasalukuyan, at sinabing makatutulong ito upang ipakita na ang Pilipinas ay magandang investment destination para sa Australians.

“We find there is a lack of awareness among Australian businesses, lack of awareness of the opportunities of doing business in the Philippines… Big part of the job in this mission is really to educate Australian businesses,” sabi ni Simonet.

Si Shemara Wikramanayake ang mission leader at siya rin ang Chief Executive Officer ng Macquarie Group.
Aniya, ang Pilipinas ay 20th largest trading partner ng Australia, subalit hindi siya kuntento rito at nais niyang tumaas ang ranking sa hinaharap.

Dagdag pa niya, nakikita nila ang maraming sektor kung saan maaaring magtulungan ang dalawang bansa.

“Agriculture, we’re talking about areas like resources, we’re talking about areas like education, and areas involving investing in infrastructure… Digital infrastructure, connectivity and importantly energy investment especially in renewable energy.”

Idinagdag ni John Hopkins, Chief Executive Officer ng Export Finance Australia, na, “We’re really interested in the infrastructure space. We heard a lot of the ‘Build Better More’ program and the Philippine energy plan which again really excites us in terms of the opportunities that presents for our organizartion.”