American firms eye return to Clark

Big American corporations are looking at investing in Philippine infrastructure projects, especially in the former US air base in Clark, to foster closer ties between Manila and Washington, the US-Asean Business Council said.

In a statement sent to the Inquirer, the US-Asean Business Council said its delegation composed of 21 top American companies visited the Philippines on Sept. 16-18, led by council president and chief executive Alexander Feldman and senior vice president and regional managing director Ambassador Michael Michalak.

“This mission was a timely opportunity for US business to renew engagement and better understand the government of the Philippines’ priorities,” Feldman said.

During their visit, “mission themes focused on existing activities underway to promote free and open trade and remove barriers to investment,” the US-Asean Business Council said.

As far as potential infrastructure investments were concerned, the US-Asean Business Council said its recent mission “had a strong infrastructure focus, marking the first time the council ventured outside Metro Manila on a business mission with a day trip to Clark.”

The US firms that joined last week’s mission include Amazon, Bechtel, Cargill, Cisco, Citibank, Coca-Cola, Expedia, ExxonMobil, Fluor, IBM, Jhpiego, MSD, P&G and Oracle. —BEN O. DE VERA