No special connections needed to invest in PH, Aquino tells China’s businessmen

BEIJING, China – President Benigno Aquino III encouraged Chinese business leaders to invest more in the Philippines, assuring them they no longer have to rely on certain connections to set up their businesses.

Aquino said his government’s programs on transparency and integrity would in the long run create a climate of predictability conducive to profit.

Aquino said the gains were already being felt through improvements in the country’s economic indicators.

“I encourage you to ride on this wave of optimism. The time to put in place strategic investments in tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure is now,” the President said in a speech to the Philippines-China Economic and Trade Forum. “You can seize these various opportunities in the Philippines, including those under our Public-Private Partnership program.”

“Also, consider the opportunities in the country’s significant competitive advantages: a highly skillful and well educated workforce, a youthful and large domestic market, and natural endowments for tourism, among others,” he added.

“The biggest change between the Philippines under my administration and under the previous government is a change in mindset. We will not take short-cuts in order to close deals; we will follow the correct procedures. We will always take the long view in order to achieve lasting progress for our country,” Mr. Aquino said.