It’s all systems go for PBC&E chair
This year’s Philippine Business Conference and Expo (PBC&E), the country’s biggest gathering of businessmen and policymakers, organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), is now set for staging on Oct. 16-17 at the Manila Hotel.
PCCI director William Co, who chairs this year’s PBC&E, said their different committees had worked hard over the past seven months to make sure the 45th PBC&E at the Manila Hotel will live up to its billing as the most important business event in the Philippines. “Everything is ready,” he said. The event will have “Enabling Business in a Digital Economy,” for its theme.
“We did a lot of work. We invited VIPs, experts, speakers to become our guests. We also went around the country to invite our regional members to come and attend this special event,” he said.
Co said the top agenda of this year’s PBC&E is President Duterte’s massive infrastructure buildup under the government’s Build Build Build scheme.
Businessmen, Co said, hope that with the private sector support, all the major infrastructure projects lined up by the government will be completed in the next three years to vastly improve the country’s investment climate.
Aside from infrastructure, Co said experts would also share ideas on how businesses can thrive in the digital-driven economy, with complex developments such as big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and ecommerce impacting business operations. Other major topics include agriculture, food security and environment.
The expo will be opened by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Co said.
Co said they expect more than 1,000 attendees in the 45th PBC&E.
PCCI president Ma. Alegria Sibal Limjoco said their board unanimously picked Co as chair of this year’s PBC&E because of his vast experience in the field of information technology; he owns and runs the ICCT Colleges.
“We want Dr. Co to be the face of the 45th PBC&E with its theme related to information technology. For the past 20 years, our registration has always been headed by Dr. Co. He has the people to demonstrate ICT, and even ushers and usherettes who are techie,” Limjoco said.
Co has been a business leader and advocate for decades now. He is also currently the treasurer of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, an executive committee member of the Export Development Council, a trustee of the Philippine Exporter Confederation of the Philippines, honorary consul of the Consulate of Namibia, and assistant treasurer of the Consular Corps of the Philippines.
Aside from his active involvement in export promotion, he was also a former Philippine agriculture attaché to China. As an active advocate of modern agriculture and mechanized farming, he is very interested in promoting hybrid rice and corn, modern fishery and aqua resources, and Philippine export of tropical fruits around the world. He helped establish the Phil-Sino Center for Agricultural Technology (PhilSCAT) in the Science City of Munoz, Nueva Ecija. Co also founded the Philippine Colleges & Universities China Studies Association (PCUCSA).
Co was born on July 29, 1947 to a rice miller and sugar planter family in Lubao, Pampanga. He finished his BS in Engineering at the University of the Philippines and his MA in Business Administration at the University of Santo Tomas.
His extensive business experiences in the past 45 years involved engagements in various fields including agrimachinery; and industrial, medical and information technology facilities. He actively promotes bamboo planting and modern agriculture, and supports SME countryside development as a core project of PCCI.