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Spanish businessmen are expected to arrive in the
Philippines, and disregard any turmoil in politics and
terrorism threats here, to look over the country’s
strong economic growth for possible investments, the
Spanish Chamber of Commerce, or La Camara, said Tuesday.
“Spanish
companies are now looking beyond the politics in the
country. They are seeing the Philippine economy
stabilizing and posting real growth,” said Jose Luis
Romero-Salas, La Camara president, at the launch of 4th
ExpoEspana at the Alba’s Restaurant in
Makati.
Even the
local governments in Spain, Romero-Salas said, are
starting to show keen interest in the Philippines as a
market and investment destination.
The
province of De Castilla La Mancha, for instance, is
sponsoring the participation of five of its homegrown
companies to the ExpoEspaña to be held at the Rockwell
Tent in Makati City from September 28 to 30.
These
five companies are wine producers Bodegas Latue’-Coop
San Isidro, Bodegas Navarro Lopez, Jesus del Perdon-Bodegas
Yuntero, Sandevid and shoemaker Calzados Mister.
Also
participating are companies in the food, hotel,
insurance, liquor, personal care, fashion, property,
tobacco, and travel industries.
“Spain
is also looking at cementing its presence in the fashion
industry. Other areas that Spain will be looking at are
the energy, tourism and infrastructure industries,”
added Romero-Salas.
La
Camara, composed of over 100 member-firms, is also
conducting road shows around the country to promote
Spanish products and also give companies from Spain a
glimpse of the investment and tourism opportunities in
the different parts of the Philippines.
Javier
Alvarez, the economic and consumer counselor of the
Embassy of Spain here, said there is still a lot of room
for improvement in the trade and investment relations of
the two countries, mentioning that in 2006, Spanish
exports to the
Philippines
amounted to only $138 million, while the Philippine
products shipped to Spain totaled just $219 million.
Alvarez
said the sectors where there are strong opportunities
for partnerships are food products, renewable energy,
biofuels, infrastructure, water desalination and waste
management.
“These
are the areas in which Spain is strong and the
Philippines may have an interest or needs investments,”
he said, as indicated by the frequent inquiries on these
sectors and what opportunities there are for Spanish
investors.
In
tourism, Alvarez said the bilateral exchange of tourists
is only at 20,000 individuals per year. |
