A GERMAN trade mission informed President Arroyo on Monday that German businessmen are interested in investing in medical tourism, maritime personnel development and microfinance in the Philippines.

The German delegation discussed the business prospects in the “three areas of excellence” during a courtesy call on the President at the Malacañang Music Room.

The business mission was headed by Dr. Gerhard Zeidler, honorary consul general of the Philippines in Baden-Württemberg and Hesse, two of the biggest of the 16 federal states of Germany.

President Arroyo thanked the visiting delegation “for all your efforts in bringing our countries closer.” Zeidler, who is also president of an international company that certifies to the quality standard of hospitals and wellness centers all over the world, said he “offered our services” to check on the country’s major hospitals and help them to qualify as International Organization for Standardization (ISO)-certified hospitals.

In offering his company’s hospital-certification services, Zeidler said tourists want to be assured that the countries they visit have ISO-certified hospitals.

The German consul general pointed out that in all of Europe, “it is impossible for hospitals to operate without ISO certification.”

The certification assures patients of the quality standard of the technology and services offered by the hospital, Zeidler explained. Zeidler’s company employs 18,000 personnel worldwide.

According to Loredanna Hess, honorary vice consul general of the Philippines in Baden-Württemburg and Hesse, Zeidler’s company will start certifying 16 major hospitals, most of them in Metro Manila.

Two of the ISO-certified hospitals in Metro Manila are St. Luke’s in Quezon City and the Asian Hospital in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

The German delegation was accompanied to Malacañang by Philippine Ambassador to Germany Delia Domingo-Albert and Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano, who said that German investors were particularly interested in medical tourism, maritime personnel development and microfinance. The German delegation also included Consul Eckbert von Bohlen und Halbach of Bavaria and Consul Heinz-Peter Heidrich of North-Rhine-Westphalia.

DAVAO CITY—At past lunchtime, rice retailer Rosario Perez knows that she would be in for another grueling day, a few hours actually, at the parish’s outlet for National Food Authority (NFA)-retailed rice imports in barangay Talomo in the southern part of this city.

AS THE prices of “hot pan de sal” and other bread products are expected to increase in the ensuing days because of the shortage in the supply of wheat, the search for alternative wheat and extenders has also intensified.

THE debilitating effect of the continued rise of fuel products in the world market has now affected the airline industry, forcing local and international air carriers to request for an upward revision of their fuel surcharges from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).

PRESIDENT Arroyo on Monday appealed to the Senate to ratify the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) as without it, the country stands to lose as much as P365 billion in foreign direct investments  (FDIs) from Japan that may be channeled to other Philippine competitors in the region.

THE Philippines risks losing foreign direct investments (FDIs) due to international perception of worsening corruption in the country, Sen. Loren Legarda warned Monday.

A GERMAN trade mission informed President Arroyo on Monday that German businessmen are interested in investing in medical tourism, maritime personnel development and microfinance in the Philippines.

THE validity of the claim of publicly traded Oriental Peninsula Resources Group on two mining sites in Palawan is being questioned by the indigenous peoples residing in these areas, saying they have not given the company permission to conduct mining activities as required by law.

PHILIPPINE Airlines (PAL) is reopening its hub in Cebu to house its nine Bombardier turbo-prop fleet.