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Philippines Hosts Global Business Convention as Ugandan Coordinates African, Caribbean, Brazil Delegations

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in Issue 9

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By Samuel Muwanguzi

In Summary: The Philippines Republic, a bourgeoning economic Tiger Cub of Asia, is on the march. With a GDP above $811 billion, a young population of 100 million, an income per capita of $ 6,925, the Philippines is a fast-transforming middle income country looking beyond its traditional trading and investment partners. Projected to become the 16th biggest economy in the world by 2050, the Philippines is diversifying its economy by opening its market and seeking new trade and investment partnerships in Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil. The 42nd annual trade and investment convention in Manila this October, expected to attract over 2000 international business leaders, half of them from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil attending for the first time, suggests a major shift in the global trade and investment policy of the  Philippine Republic, an archipelago of 7,107 islands.


Rev. Susan Kasasa, an ordained Christian Minister and a renowned coordinator for international trade and investment conventions

Dallas, Texas—about 2000 international business executives will converge in Manila, Philippines for a global trade and investment convention to promote business to business and public-private partnerships between the Philippines, Africa, the Caribbean, Brazil, and the rest of the world, organizers of the 5-day event announced Thursday. A bourgeoning economic Tiger Cub of Asia, with a GDP above $811 billion, a young population of 100 million, an income per capita of $ 6,925, the Philippines is a fast-transforming middle income country looking beyond its traditional trading and investment partners. Projected to become the 16th biggest economy in the world by 2050, the Philippines are diversifying its economy by opening its market and seeking new trade and investment partnerships. Through the forthcoming trade and investment convention expected to attract over 2000 international business leaders, half of them from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil, suggests a major shift in the global trade and investment policy of the Philippine Republic, an archipelago of 7,107 islands.

Newly elected Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte

The 5-day trade and investment convention, from October 11 to 15, will be opened by the Filipino Vice President Ms. Leni Robredo at the Manila Marriott Convention Center located inside the Resorts World Complex, 3 miles from the Manila International Airport. The newly elected President Rodrigo Duterte will preside over the closing ceremony on October 15, Ms. Eunina Mangio,  head of finance confirmed to the EADM. President Rodrigo Duterte, whose government assumed office on June 30, 2016, campaigned on a platform of transforming and diversifying the Filipino economy, an emerging Asian Tiger into a regional and global economic giant.

Philippines vice President Ms. Leni Robredo

The convention will attract about 600 delegates from African countries, 250 from the Caribbean and 150 from Brazil, a leading Ugandan business consultant Rev. Susan Kasasa confirmed to the EADM in a phone interview from her office in Washington DC Friday. Rev. Susan Kasasa, an ordained Christian Minister with over 40 years of pastoral work as a Church minister and a renowned coordinator for international trade and investment conventions, was appointed to chair a committee to mobilize and coordinate the participation of all international delegates by the US-based Federal Philippines Chambers of Commerce (FPACC). Her appointment letter, a copy of which the EADM has seen, tasks her to mobilize government officials and business leaders from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil to participate in the 42nd annual Philippine trade and investment convention in Manila this October.

Rev. Susan Kasasa, an international business consultant chairs committee for delegations from Africa, Caribbean, and Brazil

Rev. Susan Kasasa has also chosen Dr. Steven Pilgrim and  Philip Berkeley, a Pastor and businessman; three natives Mr. Lester Thornhill, of the Caribbean Islands and Professor Sergio Rigoli a Brazilian national to assist her to mobilize and coordinate delegations from their respective countries. At the same time, the committee is conducting a selection process for the best Uganda cultural artistes and the best comedian to perform at the Manila convention in the Philippines. Previously, only traditional and major trading partners with Philippines including the United States, Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Germany, Taiwan, and Thailand participated in the Manila annual trade and investment convention. The US-based Federal Philippines Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) will send about 150 delegates to the Manila convention, Gerry Palon, the director of trade and finance with the Los Angeles-based FPACC confirmed to the EADM by phone Friday.

Gerry Palon, the director of trade and finance with the Los Angeles-based FPACC

Over 600 delegates from the hosting Philippine National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI) will participate in the convention, Ms. Eunina Mangio, PCCI-SME Head of Finance told the EADM in a phone interview from her office in Manila, Philippines Saturday. The Manila-based Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI), the hosts and official organizers of the convention, has over 1000 members including large and small scale companies. International business leaders, owners, and executives planning to participate in the 42nd annual convention in Manila, Philippines are advised to complete the B2B form (application) on the website at:

http://www.globalinvestmentmission.com/investors-matchmaking-form

The form clearly shows the type of information that companies or individuals need to provide. On submission, the B2B forms (application) will be processed in Manila, Philippines and successful applicants will be contacted weeks before the convention opens on October 11, 2016, organizers said.

Ms. Eunina Mangio, PCCI-SME Head of Finance

“This is a historical trade and investment convention; the first time leading African, Caribbean, and Brazilian private sector players and business owners and executives will get unlimited opportunities to interact face to face with potential and credible investors inn an international convention, business meeting or summit ever planned,” said Rev. Susan Kasasa, a veteran global conference organizer and product promotion specialist. She added: “Business leaders from developing countries usually carry brochures or business cards to distribute but hardly engage in a one on one interaction with investors to present their business ideas, or showcase their projects through a magazine for investors to see, study, and make an informed and mutually beneficial decision,” said the renowned trade and investment consultant from her office in Washington, DC.

Rev. Susan Kasasa, seen in the picture here was introducing Uganda’s Minister for the Presidency the late Mr. Balaki Kilya to the Late Dr. Paul Crouch the founder and owner of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) in Los Angeles, California in 1989. The meeting resulted in the launch of TBN, for the first time, in Uganda and East Africa.

 

An international committee comprising of the director of Trade with the Los Angeles-based FPACC, the director of trade and finance of the Manila-based Philippine Chamber of Commerce and industry, and Rev. Susan Kasasa, coordinator of all participating international delegates has formulated a program highlighting the activities of the convention. The committee has also developed a comprehensive package that includes all costs of the trip and the conference for the international delegates from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil. Details about the package are found at:

http://www.globalinvestmentmission.com/booking-

This is the first time international business leaders from Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil are attending the highly-rated Filipino annual convention in Manila, hosted by PCCI.

Mr. George Barcelon, chief host and president of PCCI

Passionate about the development of Africa and other developing countries around the world, Rev. Susan Kasasa states: “My vision is a self-sufficient Africa,” adding, “as a Ugandan, I want to start with my motherland to promote and initiate development programs and build industries across the country to create jobs for our young people.” For Africa and the East African region, Rev. Kasasa, a philanthropist endowed with transformative international developmental programs, and a coordinator of humanitarian relief efforts in culturally diverse communities around the world states: “I have been traveling and working across East Africa for the past 40 years and I have developed meaningful networks and partnerships that have helped us to expand the scale of our development programs.” Over the years, Rev. Susan Kasasa has introduced investors and Major organizations to Uganda and Africa in general. Working with the Minister for the Presidency, the late Mr. Balaki Kirya in the 1980s, she  introduce several programs that have had a transformative impact on Ugandans and the country.

Rev. Susan Kasasa, with a vision of a self-sufficient Africa

Rev. Kasasa advises all potential international delegates to carefully read and understand the content posted on the Web site at:

www.globalinvestmentmission.com

“Since the site is the tool we are using to provide all the information potential delegates need to know the details of the package of the trip to the convention,” it is the stop virtual center all should visit,” stated Rev. Kasasa, a veteran coordinator of business travel and tours across Africa, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United States.  “The information on the Web site answers all questions the international delegates may have about this historical convention and the potential benefits to the various categories of business owners, Rev. Kasasa said.  “Those who may not make it to Manila, are encouraged to advertise their businesses in the convention magazine to attract the attention and interest of investors or partners to look at their projects,” says Rev. Susan Kasasa, also a marketing and product promotion specialist.  She will lead an advance international team to Manila days before the arrival of international delegates to receive and accord them a warm welcome ahead of the convention at the Manila Marriott Convention Center.

The Manila Marriott Convention Center

“The conference will primarily focus on business-to-business (B2B) meetings with some plenary sessions scheduled to run during the conference and planned optional field tours to selected project sites and plant facilities,” said Gerry Palon, director of trade with the Los Angeles-based Federal Philippines Chambers of Commerce (FPACC). “It will be an exciting time of learning and change with invaluable experiences with new ideas from new business partners and friends an individual can ever find in one place; hundreds of successful business leaders from across the world,” said Rev. Kasasa, a global trade and investment facilitator rendering her expertise to ensure the Philippine investment convention is a roaring success.

Mr. Angelito Coloma, chairman of the organizing committee of the convention

From this convention, international delegates will understand and appreciate where the Philippines was in the past, where it is now, and where it is going, Rev. Kasasa says.  Located in the Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean, the Philippine Republic shares no land boundaries, but Taiwan, Vietnam, Borneo, and Indonesia are all located across the seas from the Filipino archipelago inhabited by about 100 million people. The Philippines Republic is divided into three main geographic groups of islands including Luzon, Visayas, and Mindano, administratively divided into 17 Regions and 80 provinces and Regional Centers with a GDP above $811 billion by Purchasing power parity, the Philippines are classified as one of the three Tiger Cub Economies of Asia alongside Indonesia and Thailand. An upper middle income country with a per capita income of over $ 6,925 by the end of 2015, according to the World Bank, the Philippines is currently one of Asia's fastest growing economies with an annual growth rate of over 6 percent. The 39th largest economy in the world according to a 2015 International Monetary Fund report, the Philippines is also one of the emerging markets around the world. The Philippine economy is projected to be the 16th biggest economy in the world by 2050, based on the IMF forecasts.

Major economic sectors in the Philippines (Photo by Stephen Finn)

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Philippines-ECONOMIC-SECTORS.html

These favorable demographic features suggest that Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil need the Filipino market just as the Philippines needs markets in those countries. “Since African countries, the Caribbean, and Brazil are considered among the leading emerging world economies and markets, failure to optimize opportunities offered by the Filipino market and economy is no longer an option,” Rev. Susan Kasasa observes. She added: “Joint investment ventures and international trade between those regions and the Philippines will provide mutual benefits to all business partners,” she said.

While there have been limited trade and investment contacts between the Philippines, African countries, the Caribbean, and Brazil, a continental awareness campaign is underway to mobilize African governments and delegates to participate in the Manila convention. Governments and private business leaders are being mobilized in countries including, thus far, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Southern Sudan, DRC Congo, Togo, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Namibia, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi, and Mali, disclosed Rev. Kasasa. Others are Guinea, Madagascar, Ghana, and Nigeria.

Rev. Susan Kasasa, passionate about the economic transformation of Uganda, Africa, the Caribian, Brazil, and other developing countries.

Currently, the Philippines mainly exports 24 Primary products to its traditional trade partners in Asia, Europe, and the United States.  The products include semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits, abaca, bamboo, cacao, sugar, and coffee, according to Gerry Palon, direct of trade at the Los Angeles-based Federal Philippines Chambers of Commerce (FPACC).

While agriculture is the number one investment priority with focus on food self-sufficiency and agro-processing, the Philippines is now opening up investment opportunities to international partners in infrastructure development, engineering, manufacturing and mining. “Particularly, Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs),  health Care, tourism, renewable energy, and medical tourism are areas offering wide-ranging investment opportunities through public-private partnerships (PPPs)or as business to business (B2B) ventures that Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil can exploit or benchmark, Ms. Eunina Mangio,  head of finance Philippine National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PCCI) told the EADM.

One of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPOs) back offices in Manila, Philippines. (Image from Shutterstock)

http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/174-outsourcing/121233-philippines-bpo-ibpap-targets-2015

To fully exploit opportunities at this convention and beyond, Rev. Kasasa advised governments, companies, and projects seeking partners, investors or joint ventures to purchase advertising space in the globalinvestmentmission.com2016-2017 Magazine to showcase their businesses. “The magazine will be distributed to delegates at the Manila conference to help them make investment decisions,” Rev. Kasasa said, adding, “An electronic version of the magazine will be posted on the website at:”

http://www.globalinvestmentmission.com/investors-magazine

On its part, the new government of President Rodrigo Duterte is encouraging nearly all its cabinet secretaries to alternately attend the investment summit over the 5 day period, organizers said. National and local government officials will participate in the conference as delegates to promote public-private-partnerships (PPP) or joint ventures and facilitate further trade and investment arrangements with international delegates, Gerry Palon, direct of trade at the Los Angeles-based Federal Philippines Chambers of Commerce (FPACC) said.

“After the 5-day conference, delegates will visit Palawan, one of the most beautiful Islands in the world and a popular tourist destination in the Philippines,” says Rev. Kasasa, who cut her teeth in the highly competitive international tour and travel profession as a founder and CEO of Sussa Tours and Safaris in Nairobi, Kenya in the 1970s. “For those who enjoy eating delicious food, Philippines has a variety of organic foods served in international restaurants and fast food places, says the cosmopolitan Rev. Susan  Kasasa, a veteran preacher, public speaker, and conference organizer.

San Agustin Church in Manila, built in 1589 is a top global tourist attraction.

“In the rapidly expanding Filipino economy, there are unlimited trade and investment opportunities for all types of businesses; public-private investment arrangements with PPAs highly encouraged particularly in areas where huge infrastructure projects requiring large capitalization and active government participation,” assures Gerry Palon, direct of trade at the Los Angeles-based Federal Philippines Chambers of Commerce (FPACC).  Now a burgeoning democracy, the Philippines Republic may offer, beyond economic cooperation, political lessons to other developing countries especially in Africa.