Briefs

Intrepid PH firms establish China presence

Most of them trace their family roots to the “Middle Kingdom.”

But when China started opening up its massive economy to global trade, big business groups in the Philippines did not look at opportunities in this vast market for sentimental reasons.

With a population of 1.3 billion and increasing consumer affluence, China has always offered an attractive market for large Philippine firms looking to expand overseas.

Ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s historic state visit to China, we take a look at some Philippine enterprises that moved ahead of the pack and built significant businesses in this dynamic market. —Doris Dumlao-Abadilla

Remote Ifugao village starts knitting tradition

Somewhere between the Unesco-inscribed rice terraces of Banaue and Hungduan, the passions of one woman converged to make a colorful venture with a farming community.

Candice Reyes-Alipio, an avid knitter and mountaineer, runs Knitting Expedition, a social enterprise that aims to augment the income of women farmers in Uhaj, a little-known village in Ifugao that remains dependent on rice farming. —Blanche R. Fernandez

Manila Diamond Hotel goes Singaporean

Almost everyone is familiar with Manila Diamond Hotel, the grand five-star hotel on Roxas Boulevard in Manila (book the board room on the 27th floor, the view of Manila Bay is fantastic). But few knew that the Diamond had also opened a luxury hotel in the heart of the Makati Central Business District, right across from Greenbelt 1, where the Philippine Airlines ticketing office used to be. —Margaux Salcedo

Concepcion hosts dinner for Asean guests

Joey Concepcion, Asean Business Advisory Council Chair and Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship, recently hosted a welcome dinner for Asean BAC members who flew in for the official turnover of the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

President Duterte will chair Asean as the regional grouping celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Concepcion, meanwhile, will spearhead the preparations for the Asean Business and Investment Summit next year as the Philippines takes the chairmanship from Laos.