AmCham Philippines Hosts General Membership Luncheon Meeting
For this month’s luncheon meeting, AmCham Philippines hosted former Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. for a lovely afternoon of informative conversations, networking, and of course, a delightful meal at the newly-opened Sheraton Manila Hotel.
We kicked off the event with opening remarks from Mr. Ebb Hinchliffe, the Executive Director of AmCham Philippines, as well as honoring the 32 delegates of the Business Leadership Program (BLP) of AmCham. These participants are truly a dedicated, hard-working group and I wish them all the success in their respective fields, and hope they create a positive impact based on their experience with the program!
Shortly after, Ambassador Cuisia took the stage to discuss important issues affecting the American business community in the Philippines, at an interesting time when the economy is facing headwinds and increasing challenges.
He shared his views and insights on the state of USA-Philippines relations, the importance of the ASEAN market (challenges, expansion, and revenue over the next few years), as well as laws around American investment in the Philippines and how we can help create a better environment for US companies and investors in the country.
On the subject of the ASEAN market, Amb. Cuisia discussed the Top Reasons Companies’ Levels of Trade & Investment are expanding in ASEAN:
67% Openness to business and land ownership
60% Availability of raw materials
55% Availability of trained personnel/efficient manpower
53% Improvement in infrastructure
44% Adequate laws and regulations to encourage foreign investments and protect business
One of my favorite parts of the afternoon was the Q&A session. A participant of the AmCham BLP asked a very important question about the Ambassador’s expectations from the BLP delegates. This was a very inspiring interaction. Here’s a summary of his response, which really are life lessons to always keep in mind:
Overall, his speech was factual, filled with eye-opening statistics, and his opinions were transparent and very well delivered. Definitely “a man of infinite wisdom” as people call him!
John Clements is also honored to be involved in the annual AmCham Business Leadership Program, where we help the students build their strengths as future business leaders. Here’s our very own Grace Sorongon with our little memento from this year’s lovely batch. Wishing you all the best in your future endeavors!
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About the author:
Charu Misra is a Digital Marketing Consultant, specializing in Social Media and Content Marketing. She holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Advertising & Marketing Communications and her professional career originated in New York City. Charu is currently based in Manila, Philippines. Visit her online on Twitter!
