Pursuing real inclusive growth in ASEAN
Last week, together with President Rodrigo Duterte, Cabinet members, ASEAN Business Advisory Council Philippine members and ASEAN Business Awards Philippine awardees, I attended the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2016 held in Vientiane, Laos. ABIS is ASEAN’s premier annual business and investment event that heads of state and ASEAN-BAC members attend.
Next year we will be hosting the ASEAN Summit here in our country. President Rodrigo Duterte, who was warmly received and recognized by the ASEAN heads of government, accepted the ASEAN chairmanship from Laos Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith. President Duterte mentioned in his speech that ASEAN 2017 is a meaningful celebration of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and will work to achieve the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 into “reality with concrete outcomes.”
During the summit, I was appointed as the new chair for the ASEAN-BAC Philippines. I am honored. We are looking forward to the things we can do for the country and the ASEAN community.
One of the highlights of the ABIS is the ASEAN Business Awards, which recognizes companies that have contributed to the growth and prosperity of the ASEAN. They also recognized ASEAN Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that have the potential to grow globally. The Philippines won the most number of awards from the 80 companies that competed.
Three Philippine companies were awarded the AEC Priority Integration Sector Excellence Award: EMS Component Assembly (electronics category), Oryspa Spa Solutions (healthcare), and Anthill Fabric Gallery (textile).
Aside from them, Sunlight Foods (employment category), Global Foods Solution (growth), and Jewel Collection Manufacturing Co. (innova- tion) won the SME Excellence Awards. Zeenoh Inc., got the Best Innovative SME Award.
Other Philippine companies that were runners-up are Sanitary Care Products Asia, Manila Catering Services (both for employment), Cater King ( innovation), and Manila Catering Services (corporate social responsibility). With the chairmanship of the Philippines in the ASEAN and ASEANBAC, we can look forward to a stronger partnership between the private and public sector in the ASEAN region that will support the business sector on a global level.