The European Times - Philippines

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THE PHILIPPINES

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE MASTER PHILIPPINES REGIO

Useful Investment Contacts Philippine Trade and Investment Centre European offices Belgium – Brussels Philippine Trade and Investment Center Embassy of the Philippines 207 Avenue Louise, Box 5 Brussels 1050, Belgium Tel.: +32 2 649 4400 / 649 8948 E-mail: brussels@philippinetrade.org dtibrussels@skynet.be

The Philippine Board of Investments Investment Assistance Center (IAC) Ground Floor Industry and Investments Bldg 385 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City Tel.: +63 2 895 3640 / 3641 / 3657 E-mail : bossac@boi.gov.ph www.boi.gov.ph The Philippine Economic Zone Authority Roxas Boulevard corner San Luis Street Pasay City Tel.: +63 2 551 3454 E-mail: dglbl@peza.gov.ph www.peza.gov.ph National Economic and Development Authority 12 St. J.Escriva Drive Ortigas Center, Pasig City Tel.: +63 631 0945 56 E-mail: neda-itcs@neda.gov.ph www.neda.gov.ph Department of Trade and Industry DTI Direct Call Center: Tel.: +63 2 751 3330 +63 917 834 3330 Export Assistance: Tel.: +63 2 465 3300 Investment Assistance: Tel.: +63 2 895 8322 www.dti.gov.ph

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France – Paris Philippine Trade and Investment Center Embassy of the Philippines CNIT Center 2, Room 440 BP 427 2 Place De La Defense Paris La Defense 92053, France Tel.: +33 1 4692 2705 E-mail: paris@philippinetrade.org Germany – Berlin Philippine Trade and Investment Center Embassy of the Philippines Uhlandstrasse 97, 10715 Berlin, Germany Tel.: +49 30 8800 7719 E-mail: berlin@philippinetrade.org trade@philippine-embassy.de www.philippine-embassy.de United Kingdom – London Philippine Trade and Investment Center Embassy of the Philippines 1A Cumberland House, Kensington Court London W8 5NX, England Tel.: +44 20 7937 1898 / 7937 7998 E-mail : info@investphilippines.org.uk london@philippinetrade.org

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE PHILIPPINES INTRODUCTION • Useful Investment Contacts

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• President Benigno Aquino III: Symbol of Positive Change

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• Thriving Economy at Crossroads of East and West

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• Ambassador Strengthening Ties between the EU and the Philippines

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• The Philippines’ Fact File

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GOVERNMENT • Independent Republic and Global Trade Partner

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• Voice of the Construction Industry

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• DDT Konstract Inc. & Data Land Inc.

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EDUCATION • Secretary Outlines Ambitious Education Reforms

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• Education System Meeting International Standards

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• Philippine College of Physicians

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• Helping Special Children Live Fuller Lives

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• De La Salle University

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HEALTH

BUSINESS & INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES • Secretary of Trade Highlights Investment Opportunities

• Monark Equipment

• Secretary of Health Highlights Recent Progress in Healthcare 14

• Authority Overseeing Roadmap to Inclusive Growth

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• International Investors Targeting the Philippines

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• A. Tung Chingco

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• MSD Philippines

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• High-Quality Healthcare for All

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• St. Luke’s Medical Center

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TOURISM CONSTRUCTION

• Attracting Visitors and Bringing Benefits of Tourism to Locals

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• Construction Industry in a Boom Phase

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• Cocoon Boutique Hotel

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• Oneson Properties & Development Corporation

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• It’s More Fun in the Philippines

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Project Manager: Josef Werker – Production Coordinator: Iskra Ilievska – Copy Editor: Vicky Kox – Editorial: Emily Emerson-Le Moing – Design: Martine Vandervoort, Johny Verstegen, Walter Vranken, Dirk Van Bun

PHILIPPINES

The European Times PO Box 685 66 – London EC1P 1XP – United Kingdom – Phone: +44 (0)208 371 2356 – Fax: +44 (0)208 371 2410 info@european-times.com – www.european-times.com

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THE PHILIPPINES

President Benigno Aquino III: Symbol of Positive Change Benigno Simeon Aquino III returned from exile in the US in 1983 to lead the People Power Revolution, a non-violent campaign by ordinary Filipinos that toppled the 21-year Marcos dictatorship and restored democracy to the Philippines. His mother Corazon Aquino became President.

In 1998, the future president entered public service, serving as representative of the second district of Tarlac. In May 2007, he joined the Philippine Senate and worked to support legislative initiatives which would guarantee the protection of human rights as well as honest and responsible governance.

Commitment to positive change

© Jay Morales / Malacañang Photo Bureau

Benigno Simeon Aquino III, the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines, symbolises

his countryʼs commitment to being a thriving

After the death of his mother in 2009, Benigno Simeon Aquino III was urged by his supporters to run for president.

When he announced his campaign, he commented, “I want to make democracy work not just for the rich and well connected but for everybody.” Elected in June 2010, the new President set out his goals for his administration in his inaugural address. He said, “We are here to serve and not to lord over you. The mandate given to me was one of change.

I accept your marching orders to transform our government from one that is self-serving to one that works for the welfare of the nation.”

his grandfather, Benigno Aquino, Sr., served

Under Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s leadership, the Philippines has enjoyed strong economic growth as well as unprecedented benefits for Filipinos, including improved government services, reforms in the education system and conditional cash transfers for the poor. The Aquino administration has also fought corruption. The President says, “My hope is that when I leave office, everyone can say that we have travelled far on the right path, and that we are able to bequeath a better future to the next generation.”

of the Philippines from 1943 to 1944; and

Strong economic performance in 2014

Aquino and Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino,

In a speech during his visit to Harvard University in September 2014, the President outlined the impressive progress the Philippines has made since the People Power Revolution of 1986.

The Philippines achieved 6.4% GDP growth in the second

modern economy based on justice, peace

and inclusive progress. The President is a fourth-generation politician. His great-

grandfather, Servillano “Mianong” Aquino, served as a delegate to the Malolos Congress; as Speaker of the House of Representatives his parents were former President Corazon Jr., who was assassinated.

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

Sector Introduction

Metro Manila

quarter of 2014 – one of the highest growth rates in the Asia-Pacific region – and this growth has benefited ordinary Filipinos. Around 2.5 million people in the Philippines have raised themselves above the poverty line since the 2012-2013 fiscal year, while 1.6 million new jobs were created in the Philippines between July 2013 and July 2014. The President commented, “If a nation’s greatest resource is its people, then it is the state’s obligation to invest in its people.”

The President ended his speech at Harvard with some advice for the political leaders in the audience. He said, “Our challenge today is to make the gains even greater and to ensure that transformation becomes an intuitive mainstream of justice and inclusiveness.” He concluded, “It is my hope that our experiences will motivate those like you from the other side of the world to be influencers who in turn will inspire communities and institutions that will be willing to act.”

Forging new ties with the EU After his visit to Harvard, the President travelled to Europe for a 10-day trip that included visits to Spain, Belgium, France and Germany. Speaking to European leaders, President Aquino discussed the Philippines’ claims that

China is breaching the Convention on the Law of the Sea by exploiting contested waters in the South China Sea. The President also discussed the Philippines’ application to join the EU Generalised Scheme of Preferences. On his last stop in Germany, the president met with Chancellor Angela Merkel to sign an agreement to establish the Philippine-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

During his trip, President Aquino met Van Rompuy, President of the European Union Council of Ministers, who commented, “Today, the Philippines can boast the fastest-growing economy in Asia. It is an engine of growth in its region and will progressively raise millions of people from poverty.” President Aquino later participated in a business forum where he presented to European companies the Filipino government’s €16 billion public-private-partnership programme.

When he returned to the Philippines on September 21, President Aquino announced that his trip had been a success. He said, “From our engagements in Europe alone, we are expecting around €1.8 billion in investments in the sectors of manufacturing, energy, the IT-BPM (information technology-business process management sector), infrastructure and transport.”

This business-friendly, forward-thinking President will continue to forge strong ties with the EU and other global markets.

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THE MASTER PHILIPPINES REGIO

Thriving Economy at Crossroads of East and West Cebu city is the Philippinesʼ second most significant metropolitan centre and main domestic shipping port

The Philippines has grown to become the third-largest English-speaking country in the world and one of the

fastest-growing economies in Asia with 6.4% GDP growth in the second quarter this year. As the Philippinesʼ Economic

Planning Secretary, Arsenio Balisacan, commented recently, “The Philippines remains one of the bright spots in the region.”

The Philippines is a modern success story as well as a true cultural melting pot whose rich history combines Asian, European and American influences. Before the Philippines was colonised by Spain in 1521, the country had a sophisticated culture and active trading ties with China and Japan. In 1898, Filipinos achieved their country’s independence from Spain but then the Philippines became the first and only colony of the US. The US brought widespread education to the islands, and Filipinos fought alongside Americans during World War II. The Philippines regained its independence in 1946. In 1986, the country emerged from the twodecades-long dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos to begin to forge democracy and promote an open economy.

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Strategic location connecting East and West An archipelago of more than 7,000 islands stretching more than 1,840 km, the Philippines lies at the crossroads of East and West. Its three main islands are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The South China Sea forms the western border of the Philippines, while Taiwan, China and Hong Kong are neighbours to the north.

To the west are Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. To the east and south, the Philippines has coastlines on the Pacific Ocean. Its unique location has made the Philippines the commercial, cultural and intellectual hub of Asia for centuries.

Building on its advantages of a strategic location, an English-speaking work force and a business-friendly government, the Philippines has survived regional and global economic downturns better than its neighbours. Minimal exposure to troubled international securities, lower dependence on exports, relatively resilient domestic consumption, large remittances from overseas Filipino workers, and a rapidly expanding business-process-outsourcing industry have helped keep the Filipino economy healthy.

Impressive GDP growth in first half of 2014 Under the presidency of Benigno Aquino III, who was elected in 2010 for a six-year term, the Philippines has seen impressive continued economic growth as well as better quality of life for ordinary Filipinos.

Of the country’s 6.4% GDP growth in the second quarter of 2014, Arsenio Balisacan comments, “This higher growth rate, coming from a high base a year ago, shows that the economy is back on the higher trajectory of growth.” The

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Introduction Sector

Asian Development Bank projects even stronger economic growth for the Philippines through 2014 and in 2015, citing post-typhoon reconstruction, government fiscal disbursement, and increased exports as growth stimulators.

Active international trade The Philippines’ main exports are semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil and fruits. Leading export markets, in descending order, are Japan, the US, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Thailand. The Philippines’ main imports are electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, iron and steel, textile fabrics, grains, chemicals and plastics.

The main sources of imports are the US and China followed by Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Philippines’ current-account balance has recorded consecutive surpluses since 2003, international reserves are now at record highs,

Regional GDP growth rates

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Percent

In 2013, the services sector was the main contributor to the Philippines’ GDP with a 52.2% share, followed by industry (31.6%) and agriculture (11.2%).

Leading industrial sectors are electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining and fishing. The country’s top agricultural products are sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassava, pineapples, mangoes, pork, eggs, beef and fish.

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Philippine economic growth emerged as one of the fastest in East Asia ■ 2011

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■ 2012

7

■ 2013

6 5 4 3 2 1 0

an

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s g d re ea na sia sia am ne on or ailan hi po ne pi lay ietn K a C K o p a g g d n ili V M Th In on Si Ph H

Source: CEIC

the banking system is stable, and the Filipino stock market was Asia’s second best-performer in 2012. The Philippines has received several credit-rating upgrades on its sovereign debt.

Stronger ties to EU To continue to spur on economic growth and create jobs, the Aquino administration has launched an ambitious publicprivate-partnership programme which offers outstanding opportunities for investors. During President Aquino’s recent visit to Europe, Guy Ledoux, EU Ambassador to the Philippines, pointed out, “The visit of the President of the Philippines to European institutions

did more than all the efforts made in the recent past to increase the recognition of the Philippines in Europe. It sent a strong signal to European leaders and businessmen that the Philippines is back in business and interested to work with the EU. There is a clear sense that decades of relative mutual neglect have come to an end as the EU and the Philippines have rediscovered their bonds.”

The EU is already the biggest source of FDI in the Philippines and these investments have provided more than 400,000 jobs, while EU investors are increasingly realising that the Philippines is an ideal base for business in Asia. The Philippines is clearly set to continue its success story for years to come.

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THE THE EUROPEAN EUROPEAN TIMES TIMES

THE MASTER PHILIPPINES REGIO

Ambassador Strengthening Ties between the EU and the Philippines Victoria Sisante Bataclan, Ambassador

of the Philippines to Belgium and Luxembourg

and

Head

of

the

Philippines Mission to the EU since

2011, is playing a key role in enhancing

ties between the Philippines and its partners in Europe. The Ambassador, an attorney and career diplomat,

was born in Magallanes, Cavite, the Philippines, in 1951 and obtained advanced degrees in law and political science from the University of the Philippines.

The Ambassador has had a prestigious career in diplomatic service.

She was previously the Philippines’ Ambassador to Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and was the Consul-General of the Philippines in Hong Kong from 2002 to 2003. She also served as Minister-Counselor and Consul-General of the Philippines in Austria (1992 to 1999) and as Secretary and later Consul of the Philippines’ Mission to the UN in Geneva from 1982 to 1990.

In February this year, the Ambassador represented the Philippines at a meeting in Brussels between the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) and representatives from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as part of the first EU-ASEAN Dialogue on Connec-

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tivity. The meeting’s goal was to help enhance EU-ASEAN relations as set out in the Bandar Seri Begawan Plan of Action to strengthen the EU-ASEAN partnership from 2013 to 2017.

Raising the Philippines’ profile in international initiatives Victoria Sisante Bataclan is also involved in preparing for the upcoming Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Conference on Disaster-Risk Reduction, which will be held in the Philippines in June this year. The conference will involve discussions between EU representatives and their counterparts in the Philippines concerning preparing for natural disasters, highlighting lessons learned after the devastating 2013 Haiyan typhoon. The conference is expected

to lead to the Tacloban Declaration, a framework for post-2015 disaster-risk reduction.

In March 2014, the Ambassador visited the Walloon Parliament, where she was welcomed by the Parliament’s president, Patrick Dupriez. During the visit, the Ambassador called for stronger cooperation between Wallonia and the Philippines and praised the creation of a “welcome office” for ASEAN Countries in Namur. She and the president also discussed the ratification of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and the Philippines, which was signed in July 2012 and ratified by the Walloon Parliament in 2013. The Philippines hopes that the agreement will be ratified by the EU in 2014, the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Europe.

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

Introduction General

The Philippines’ Fact File Official Name: Republic of the Philippines Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam Capital: Manila Climate: tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) Population: 107,668,231 ( July 2014 est.)

Ethnic Groups: Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000 census) Religions: Christian (50%-75%), Muslim and Hindu (24%-49%), Indigenous beliefs (1%) Official Language: Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan Currency: Philippine pesos (PHP) Area: Total: 300,000 sq km Land: 298,170 sq km Water: 1,830 sq km Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands Transportation: 247 airports, railway network: 995 km, road network: 213,151 km, waterway network: 3,219 km

Politics

Government type: republic Independence: 12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US) Legal system: mixed legal system of civil, common, Islamic, and customary law Chief of state: President Benigno AQUINO (since 30 June 2010); Vice President Jejomar BINAY (since 30 June 2010); note - president is both chief of state and head of government

Elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year term; election last held on 10 May 2010 (next to be held in May 2016) Judicial branch: Highest court - Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 14 associate justices) Judge selection and term of office are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council, a constitutionally-created, 6-member body that recommends Supreme Court nominees; justices serve until age 70 Subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Sandiganbayan (special court for corruption cases of government officials); Court of Tax Appeals; regional, metropolitan, and municipal trial courts; sharia courts

Economy at a Glance

GDP (purchasing power parity): US$454.3 billion GDP per capita: US$4,700 GDP real growth rate: 6.8% GDP contributions by sector: Agriculture: 11.2%, Industry: 31.6%, Services: 57.2% Total exports: US$47.45 billion Export commodities: semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits Major export partners: Japan 19%, US 14.2%, China 11.8%, Singapore 9.3%, Hong Kong 9.2%, South Korea 5.5%, Thailand 4.7% (2012) Total imports: US$63.91 billion Import commodities: electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, iron and steel, textile fabrics, grains, chemicals, plastic Major import partners: US 11.5%, China 10.8%, Japan 10.4%, South Korea 7.3%, Singapore 7.1%, Thailand 5.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Indonesia 4.4%, Malaysia 4% (2012) Source: www.cia.org

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THE PHILIPPINES

Government

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Independent Republic and Global Trade Partner

The Philippines is a republic which declared

its independence from Spain in 1898 and

its independence from the US in 1946. It has a democratic government based on a constitution ratified in 1987.

Government organisation Executive Branch The Chief of State and the Head of Government is the President, currently Benigno S. Aquino III (since June 2010).

The President is seconded by a Vice President, currently Jejomar Binay. The president appoints a Cabinet.

Legislative Branch The legislative branch is made up of a bicameral Congress, or Kongreso, which includes the Senate, or Senado, with 24 seats, and the House of Representatives, or Kapulungan Ng Nga Kinatawan, with 287 seats. In the House of Representatives, 230 first-tier members represent districts and 57 second-tier sectorial party-list members represent special minorities elected on the basis of one seat for every 2% of the total vote but with each party limited to three seats. A party represented in one tier may not hold seats in the other tier. In 2009, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that additional party members could sit in the House of Representatives if they received the required number of votes.

Judicial Branch The Philippines has a mixed legal system of civil, common, Islamic and customary law; it accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations.

The highest court is the Supreme Court with a chief justice and 14 associate justices. Justices are appointed by

the President on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council, a constitutionally-created, six-member body.

Justices serve until the age of 70.

Subordinate courts are the Court of Appeals; the Sandiganbayan (a special court for corruption cases of government officials); the Court of Tax Appeals; regional, metropolitan, and municipal trial courts; and sharia (Islamic) courts.

Key leaders President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, born in 1960, is the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines. The only son of democracy icons Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino and President Corazon Aquino, the current President has been supporting democracy in the Philippines since he returned from exile following the assassination of his father in 1983.

Benigno Aquino III entered public service in 1998 as Representative of the Second District of Tarlac, a position he held until 2007 when he joined the Philippine Senate, where he actively supported the protection of civil rights and honest and responsible governance. Following the death of his mother in 2009, Benigno Aquino III decided to run for president in the 2010 elections based on strong popular support for his candidacy.

Elected President of the Philippines in June 2010, he announced in his inaugural address, “We are here to serve and not to lord over you. The mandate given to me was one of change. I accept your marching orders to transform our

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THE PHILIPPINES Sector

government from one that is self-serving to one that works for the welfare of the nation.”

The presidency of Benigno Aquino III has been marked by unprecedented economic growth, improved government services, reforms in the education system, and conditional cash transfers for the poor. The Aquino administration is also known for its support for good governance and justice, prosecution of corrupt and abusive government officials, and the creation of programmes to empower the Filipino population.

Of his presidency, Benigno Aquino III says, “My hope is that when I leave office, everyone can say that we have travelled far on the right path, and that we are able to bequeath a better future to the next generation. Join me in continuing this fight for change.”

Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Cabauatan Binay, Sr., born in 1942, is an attorney who served as the Mayor of Makati, Metro Manila, from 1986 to 1987, 1988 to 1998 and 2001 to 2010, when he was elected Vice President. He also holds the posts of Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, and head of Overseas Filipino Workers, which helps workers mistreated by their employers abroad to return to the Philippines.

Educated at the University of the Philippines, Jejomar Binay Sr. passed the Philippine Bar in 1968. He provided free legal assistance to political prisoners during the Marcos administration, for which he was imprisoned himself, and helped found the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism (MABINI). He joined pro-democracy forces in preventing the mutinies against the Corazon Aquino administration and was nicknamed “Rambotito” (or little Rambo) for his support for the constitution. He also served as chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). The Vice President is widely considered to be the front-runner in the next presidential elections scheduled for 2016.

Representatives were held in May 2013 and the next will be held in May 2016.

Cabinet Members Secretary of Foreign Affairs: Albert F. del Rosario Executive Secretary: Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. Presidential Spokesperson: Edwin Lacierda Secretary of Finance: Cesar V. Purisima Secretary of Justice: Leila M. De Lima Secretary of the Interior and Local Government: Manuel A. Roxas II Secretary of Health: Enrique T. Ona Secretary of Agriculture: Proceso J. Alcala Secretary of Public Works and Highways: Rogelio L. Singson Secretary of Transportation and Communications: Joseph Emilio A. Abaya Secretary of Education: Armin A. Luistro Secretary of Social Welfare and Development: Corazon Juliano-Soliman Secretary of Labour and Employment: Rosalinda D. Baldoz Secretary of Budget and Management: Florencio B. Abad Secretary of National Defence: Voltaire T. Gazmin Secretary of Science and Technology: Mario G. Montejo

Elections

Secretary of Agrarian Reform: Virgilio R. De Los Reyes

The President and Vice President are elected on separate tickets by popular vote for a single six-year term each. Presidential elections were last held in May 2010 and will be held next in May 2016.

Secretary of Tourism: Ramon R. Jimenez Jr.

Legislative elections: One half of the members of the Senate are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms. Members of the House of Representatives are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms. The last elections for members of the Senate and for members of the House of

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Secretary of Trade and Industry: Gregory L. Domingo Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources: Ramon J.P. Paje Secretary of Energy: Carlos Jericho L. Petilla Chairperson Commission on Higher Education: Patricia B. Licuanan

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• Secretary of Trade Highlights Investment Opportunities • Authority Overseeing Roadmap to Inclusive Growth • International Investors Targeting the Philippines

Business & Investment Opportunities

“The Philippines has a relatively highly educated population compared to our peer countries.”

Gregory Domingo, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry

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THE PHILIPPINES

Secretary of Trade Highlights Investment Opportunities After obtaining a Master of Science in Operations Research from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Gregory Domingo held management positions at SM Investments Corporation, BDO Private Bank, Belle Corporation, Pico de Loro Beach & Country Club, Pampanga Sugar Development Company, Carmelray JTCI and MERALCO. He has also worked for leading financial institutions in the US and the Philippines.

Filipino people a key advantage Secretary Domingo cites the Filipino people and President Benigno Aquino III as the driving forces behind the Philippines’ recent economic success story. He says, “Our strongest suit is our people. When the Department of Trade and Industry promotes investment, our tagline is, ‘Your business, our people’, because that captures in essence what the Philippines is known for.” He adds, “The Philippines has a relatively highly educated population compared to our peer countries and virtually everybody speaks English, which is a very big advantage. A lot of firms decide on the Philippines because we provide great value for their money.”

© Manila Bulletin

Gregory Domingo, Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry since July 2010, has overseen the Philippinesʼ impressive growth in industrial development and international trade

over the past four years. He has had a long

career in the public and private sectors and brings in-depth understanding of the global economy to his current post.

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The secretary also praises President Aquino and his administration’s good-governance agenda. He explains, “It took six to ten months for the business community, both domestic and international, to believe in President Aquino, but when they realised that he is the real deal, domestic business confidence rose and international investor confidence followed.”

Public-private partnerships Secretary Domingo points out that infrastructure development remains a top priority for the Philippines. He explains that power plants, water systems, ICT networks and some other types of key infrastructure have been privatised and are expanding, while the government’s investment in infrastructure has been stepped up, including for the construction of classrooms, healthcare facilities and roads. Concerning public-private partnerships, the secretary says, “We were somewhat slow in getting a lot of these projects off the

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Sector

© Theurbanhistorian

ground, but several of them have been launched and around 50 PPP projects are in the pipeline, including for water systems, railways and roads.”

The Philippines welcomes European investors in PPP projects. Secretary Domingo accompanied President Aquino on a recent visit to the EU, and at the “PPP Conference on Infrastructure Development in the Philippines” held in Brussels, the secretary said, “I am optimistic that this conference will bolster previous interest in PPP projects by European businesses and draw more investments to these projects. We are hopeful that we will be able to attract snowballing interest from potential participants in PPP projects as well as provide an opportunity for European companies to partner with local companies.”

Secretary Domingo notes that the Philippines is now the home of several multinational enterprises with at least 30,000 employees each. Highlighting sectors with particularly strong potential, he says, “We have some big winners: one is the ICTbusiness-process-outsourcing industry. In 2001, the Philippines had 5,000 people working in this sector. By the end of 2014, we will have more than one million people directly working in this sector, which continues to grow at a 15% to 20% annual rate. The Philippines is the number one call-centre operator in the world now, ahead of India, and we are second to India and growing steadily in terms of back-office processing.”

Manufacturing in the Philippines is also on the upswing and grew by 9.7% in the first quarter of 2013 alone. Secretary Domingo notes, “This strength in manufacturing has been broad-based with growth in food processing, electronics, medical devices, furniture, and prefab housing.”

Challenges for the Philippines, according to Secretary Domingo, include the urgent need to boost the volume of container shipments handled at the country’s ports by 10% per year to keep pace with the Philippines’ rapid GDP growth over the next five years. He says, “This means a 50% increase in container loads, so we need to expand the Port of Manila and probably build a new port, preferably on the opposite side of the country, like Cavite, which we would back up with proper infrastructure.”

One project in the works for the Department of Trade and Industry is to create new incentives for auto manufacturers which produce at least 40,000 units of specific models of vehicles per year and invest at least €47 million for facilities that can produce large car components in the Philippines, such as body-stamp panels, bumpers and dashboards.

Another incentive will lower the tax rate on companies’ net income to 15% for 10 years, the lowest tax rate in the region.

Secretary Domingo explains, “The government is moving to simplify its incentive regime to enhance the Philippines’ attractions for investors.”

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THE PHILIPPINES

Authority Overseeing Roadmap to Inclusive Growth Metro Manila Bay

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is the premier socioeconomic planning body in the Philippines. Known for its transparency, efficiency and proactive approach, NEDA provides

high-level policy advice to the Filipino government, establishes development policies and coordinates their implementation, evaluates infrastructure projects, and performs short-term policy reviews concerning development issues and policy alternatives.

New goals for Philippine Development Plan to 2016 One of NEDA’s key tasks is to oversee the progress of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2011-2016, which the Authority recently updated. In announcing the update, Arsenio M. Balisacan, NEDA’s Director-General, commented, “We hope that this updated plan will be instrumental in coordinating and complementing development efforts across the country.” He called the PDP “the nation’s roadmap to inclusive growth.”

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The PDP, which has achieved impressive success so far, aims to spur on sustainable economic development in the Philippines while also ensuring that this economic progress benefits Filipinos. The updated plan calls for GDP growth of 7% to 8%, a decrease in the unemployment rate to 6.5% or 6.7% of the population, and a decrease in poverty to 18% to 20% of the population by 2016. In September this year, NEDA reported that the unemployment rate had already dropped from 7.3% of the population in July 2013 to 6.7% in July this year.

Arsenio M. Balisacan expects this trend to continue and

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Business & Investment Sector Opportunities

comments, “We are seeing massive investments in hotels and other facilities, so we should see a great deal of employment in the tourism industry.”

The PDP also aims to ensure access to healthcare, education, water, sanitation, and secure shelter for Filipinos throughout the country. Arsenio M. Balisacan points out, “The first half of the PDP saw major strides taken by the government to ensure that the goal of inclusive development is achieved. So far, our economic gains have been well within our Plan targets as we remain one of Asia’s top performers. Despite many challenges, including the natural disasters that recently visited the country, we managed to progress as a result of our strong macroeconomic fundamentals. Now, the government has considerable fiscal space for making investments to catalyse private ventures, provide public goods and services, as well as fund social programmes aimed at reducing poverty and creating opportunities for everyone.”

Focus on inclusion and social services NEDA strongly supports the Aquino government’s focus on good governance and macroeconomic as well as political stability. NEDA also calls for even more efforts to achieve better quality of life for all Filipinos. Arsenio M. Balisacan says, “We acknowledge that economic growth is but an instrument, and that the real measure of progress is improvement in the lives of our people. To ensure inclusivity, we need new approaches that are more responsive to the needs of sectors and areas where many of the poor are found so that they can contribute to, and benefit from, growth.”

The PDP anticipates that the Philippines’ GDP growth to 2016 will be driven mainly by industry and services, which NEDA estimates will grow by a combined 7% to 8% this year, 7.5% to 8.5% in 2015, and 8% to 9% in 2016. To achieve this growth, according to NEDA, investments in industry and

services need to increase by an overall 36% between 2012 and 2016.

NEDA calls for the private sector to play a leading role in the success of the PDP. As Arsenio M. Balisacan puts it, “Inclusive growth requires concerted actions not only within government but also among citizens, private businesses and international development partners.”

Improved business climate to encourage PPPs NEDA is spearheading the government’s plan to step up the pace of infrastructure development in the Philippines.

In a speech in September this year, Arsenio M. Balisacan noted that the government will boost its spending on infrastructure projects from 2.2% of GDP in 2012 to at least 5% by 2016. NEDA has singled out 952 priority infrastructure programmes and projects for the 2013-2016 period; these represent a total investment of around €36.9 billion.

The government aims for public-sector spending on infrastructure to be supplemented by the private sector through public-private partnerships (PPPs). Arsenio M. Balisacan says, “To optimise public-private partnerships and enhance the country’s attractiveness to private-sector investors, the government has reviewed, amended, and approved policies and legal framework involving private-sector participation.”

He adds that the Filipino government will continue to push forward reforms to improve the business environment in the Philippines in order to encourage private-sector investment in infrastructure projects.

NEDA will remain committed to its goal of achieving the success of the Philippine Development Plan. As Arsenio M. Balisacan points out, “The PDP enables us to work systematically to give the Filipino people a better chance of finally finding their way out of poverty, inequality, and the poor state of human development.”

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE PHILIPPINES

Makati city, a modern financial and business district of Metro Manila

International Investors Targeting the Philippines Now is the time to invest in the Philippines.

With GDP growth of 7.2% in 2013 and around 6% in the first half of 2014, the Philippines has one of the healthiest economies in the

world, and the growth is set to continue next year. Already outpacing India as a top location for call centres, the Philippines has attracted major investment in a wide range

of sectors from leading multinationals like JP Morgan Chase and Procter & Gamble.

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In fact, net FDI in the Philippines surged nearly 80% in March this year compared to March 2013, while equity capital and investments by foreign enterprises in their operations in the Philippines increased seven-fold in the same period, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippines’ central bank.

The BSP reports that most of this FDI was from the US, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and that the investments mainly targeted financial and insurance services, manufacturing, real estate, mining and quarrying, and wholesale and retail trade.

The central bank expects net FDI of just over €2 billion for 2014.

Many factors are drawing big-ticket investments to the Philippines. One major draw is the country’s very business-friendly, reform-oriented government. As Nicolas Jaquier, emerging market economist at Standard Life Investments, points out, “Overall, what sets [the Philippines] apart is an improved political environment. President Benigno Aquino III’s reform agenda has paid dividends in the last couple of years.”

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Business & Investment Opportunities

According to the Filipino government’s investment-promotion agency Invest Philippines, the Filipino workforce is another compelling advantage for investors. With a 94.6% literacy rate and well-developed professional training thanks to a traditional emphasis on education, the Philippines offers a very high-quality, English-speaking labour force which includes some 350,000 new graduates every year.

The Philippines also enjoys a very strategic location in the heart of Asia within four hours by air from the region’s major capitals. Set at the crossroads of East and West, the Philippines provides access to over 500 million people in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market and is a well-established shipping and air-transport hub.

Adding to its advantages for trade-oriented companies, the Philippines participates in a number of trade programmes. These include Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status, the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA), the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA), the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (AJCEPA), the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA), the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA), the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA), the Philippines and EFTA Joint Declaration on Cooperation,

and others. The Philippines Department of Trade and Industry has announced that it aims to begin formal free-trade-agreement negotiations with the EU and EFTA in 2015.

Exceptional quality of life is yet another reason international companies and investors are targeting the Philippines. With its tropical climate, beautiful beaches, welcoming population, colourful culture, excellent schools, top-quality healthcare, outstanding shopping and affordable housing, the Philippines is very popular among expats.

Attractive business environment The Filipino government continues to make reforms to enhance the local business climate, and business costs are already low. Wages are typically less than a fifth of those in the US, for example, while communications, electricity, and housing costs are around half the US average. Foreign companies now outsourcing programming and business processes to the Philippines estimate they are benefiting from savings of 30% to 40% in their business costs.

The Philippines is a very open, liberalised economy which allows 100% foreign ownership in almost all sectors and supports a

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE MASTER PHILIPPINES REGIO

The Philippines is among the top ten producers of gold in the world

Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) investment scheme that other Asian countries emulate. Government corporations are increasingly being privatised and the banking, insurance, shipping, telecommunications and energy sectors have all been deregulated.

Public-private partnerships offer vast potential as well.

Incentive packages for investors in the Philippines include a reduced corporate income tax, now 32%, and a special 5% overall tax rate for companies located in one of the many stateof-the-art Special Economic Zones around the country. Multinationals setting up their regional headquarters in the Philippines are entitled to additional incentives, such as tax exemptions and tax- and duty-free importation of certain equipment and materials. The government is also committed to streamlining business processes and offers one-stop-shop services for investors.

Investment in infrastructure The Philippines continues to invest in its infrastructure and encourages public-private partnerships for infrastructure projects. The country already has well-developed infrastructure linking the Philippines’ three major islands (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao) and joining the Philippines to regional and global markets by sea and air.

The Filipino government has announced that its infrastructure investment will total 5% of the country’s GDP by 2016 and that it will continue to create new opportunities for investors

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in infrastructure and logistics. Arsenio M. Galisacan, head of the Philippines’ National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), explains, “To improve competitiveness and geographic connectivity, the Pocket Open Skies Policy was launched in 2011 to allow foreign carriers to operate unilateral and unlimited traffic rights to airports other than the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Meanwhile, the Common Carriers Tax Act aims to enhance the country’s competitiveness in international travel by encouraging international air carriers to include the Philippines in their primary routes.”

Major transport-infrastructure projects underway for NEDA include the Transport Infrastructure Development Roadmap for Metro Manila and its Surrounding Areas, designed to speed up transport around the capital; the Logistics Infrastructure Roadmap for Mindanao, to improve logistics infrastructure for cost-effective linking of Mindanao’s agriculture and fishery production centres to local, regional and global markets; a project to provide road access to designated priority tourism destinations under the National Tourism Development Plan; a flood-management plan for Metro Manila and surrounding areas; and the E-Government Master Plan.

Vast opportunities in wide range of sectors Many sectors offer outstanding investment potential in the Philippines. The country is the biggest copper producer in Southeast Asia and among the top ten producers of gold in the world. It

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MASTER REGIO

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

Business & Investment Opportunities

is also home to 2,145 fish species, four times more than those found in the Bahamas. The 7,100 islands of the Philippines boast beautiful beaches and breathtaking scenery just waiting to be developed for tourism. And that is just the beginning.

NEDA encourages investment in targeted sectors which it believes have particularly strong potential to generate jobs as well as achieve rapid and sustainable growth. These are agro-industry (especially the production of coconuts, coffee and cacao as well as fisheries and forestry enterprises); manufacturing, especially food processing (including of halal and organic food products), garments, wood furniture and fixtures; tourism; ICT (including business-process management, or IT-BPM); construction; energy; logistics; projects which build local R&D; and investments in green technologies, including renewable energy.

The government aims to expand its cluster programme to encourage investors to locate their companies near related enterprises and within access of technology and businessincubation centres, laboratories, agri-industrial hubs and logistics centres. The Filipino government particularly welcomes investment in agriculture and fisheries projects since around one-third of the Filipino workforce is employed in agricultural activities. The government aims to boost agricultural productivity by 19% from 2012 to 2016 through investments in R&D and new technologies as well as through land reforms.

Opportunities in the energy sector In the energy sector, the government’s 2013-2017 Household Electrification Development Plan is designed to achieve access to electricity for 86.2% of the households in the Philippines by 2016 and 90% by 2017. The Department of Energy has launched the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programme, while the National Renewable Energy Program aims to develop renewable-energy technologies which will triple the Philippines’ renewable-energy capacity by 2030. Reforms in the energy sector have already increased private-sector participation. In July 2012, the Energy Regulatory Commission approved feed-in-tariff rates to encourage renewable-energy investments.

Rolling out the red carpet for EU investors The Philippines welcomes European investors. In June 2014, representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry travelled to Europe to promote the Philippines as an FDI choice. In 2013, business delegations from Belgium,

4

Central Bank of the Philippines

the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK came to the Philippines to meet with their counterparts and discuss investment options.

In the first half of 2014 alone, the Philippines welcomed business delegations from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Finland and Denmark. Ponciano C. Manalo, Jr., Undersecretary of Industry Promotions Group of the Department of Trade and Industry, explains, “We are confident that members of these delegation will consider the Philippines as a manufacturing hub for the ASEAN market and will pursue their interest in the Philippines’ priority areas for investment as well as in public-private partnerships.”

Ponciano C. Manalo notes strong interest from French investors in energy projects and other sectors. He says, “Aside from promoting Philippine-design-driven products and organic food products in France as well as French investments in priority sectors in the Philippines, we are also working towards establishing stronger relations with leading French industries, particularly aerospace in the field of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul, and logistics.”

In September this year, the Philippines’ President Benigno S. Aquino participated in the “PPP Infrastructure Conference” held in Brussels, where the delegation from the Philippines presented several big-ticket PPP projects of interest to EU investors. These included the €2 billion Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike Project of the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the €500 million Bulacan Bulk Water Supply project of the Metropolitan Water Works and Sewerage System.

Cosette V. Canilao, Director of the Philippines PPP Centre, explains, “The Philippines’ credit ratings are at an all-time high as evidenced by major international rating agencies’ successive upgrades, and we have made significant strides in the world competitive index. Our investment climate is ripe for investors to bring their business to the Philippines.”

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THE MASTER PHILIPPINES REGIO

Number One Food Brand in the Philippines

A. Tung Chingco, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, has a stellar reputation

for providing high-quality food products to customers in the Philippines and worldwide.

Launched as the exclusive distributor of prestigious Ligo products for the Filipino market, A. Tung Chingco now has its own cutting-edge manufacturing facility and produces a wide range of canned fish and meat products, including top-selling Ligo sardines, mackerel, squid and corned beef. It exports its products to the US and Europe as well as throughout Asia and the Pacific Rim. CEO Gregory G. Tung, Jr., explains that the company’s mission is to offer high-quality yet affordable products.

He says, “The Ligo brand is number one. It is the most famous food brand in the Philippines and has a global reputation for excellence. No other canned sardines match the quality of Ligo and I can’t see this changing. 60 years on and we are still the market leader, clearly we are doing something right.”

Philippines top source for high-quality food products As the global success of the Ligo brand demonstrates, the Philippines can produce fine food products that meet the highest international standards. Mr. Tung is committed to enhancing the reputation of the Filipino food-and-beverage industry. He says, “We are incredibly supportive of all the

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initiatives of the Filipino government to promote the Philippines. We believe the private sector must play a part in showcasing the national food-and-beverage industry to the European community.”

A. Tung Chingco welcomes the chance to establish European partnerships. Mr. Tung explains, “We are ready to work with European distributors of food products and with organisations involved in manufacturing and food production. I urge European companies to seek out opportunities in the Philippines.” He adds that the Ligo brand will continue to stand for high quality, affordability, food safety, hygiene and exceptional taste.

A. Tung Chingco Manufacturing Corp.

19 Golden Road, Caloocan Industrial Subdivision Kaybiga, Caloocan City, Metro Manila Tel.: +63 2 937 4366, +63 2 938 8918 atung@i-next.net, www.ligomanila.com

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

• Construction Industry in a Boom Phase • Voice of the Construction Industry

Construction

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE PHILIPPINES

Construction Industry in a Boom Phase

The Philippinesʼ construction sector is booming and will continue to thrive

as the government increases its infrastructure spending from around 3.1% of

GDP this year to 5% by 2016. In fact, the Philippinesʼ construction industry is expected to grow by a phenomenal 46% this year, according to the Philippines Construction Market Report 2014. The construction and real estate sectors combined contributed around one-fifth of the Philippinesʼ GDP in 2012 and 2013 by value, an especially impressive performance since GDP grew by 7.2% in 2012 and by 6.8% in 2013.

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

Construction Sector

Infrastructure projects and residential developments Construction-industry growth in 2012 and 2013 was supported by public investments in infrastructure and residential construction, which are expected to continue to be the main growth drivers for the construction industry up to 2018. Business-process-outsourcing, public-private partnerships (PPPs) and an expected rise in the number of tourist arrivals will also drive the construction sector, with more residential properties, roads, bridges, offices and power plants being built every year.

The Department of Public Works and Highways receives around 44% of the Filipino government’s total infrastructure spending, and most of this goes to the National Roads and Bridges Programme, which has a range of projects underway or planned. The second-highest allocation, 11% of the total budget, goes to the Department of Education, which plans to build more than 30,000 new classrooms by the end of this year, among other projects.

The Department of Transportation and Communication receives 6.7% of the budget and is currently building and rehabilitating the country’s communications and transportation infrastructure through several big-ticket projects. The Department of Agriculture, with a 6.6% share of the total infrastructure budget, aims to build 1,000 km of farm-tomarket roads by the end of 2014. The budget also includes funding for building around 167 km of roads leading to tourism destinations this year. Major construction initiatives set to be completed by 2016 include the Metro Manila Integrated Transport System and projects in the Sustainable Tourism Destination Infrastructure Programme.

future. PPP construction projects already in progress include the Daang Hari-SLEX link road, a 74-hectare property in Taguig City’s Food Terminal Complex which is being developed into a new business district; phase two of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway project; several new schools; the NLEX-SLEX Skyway Corridor; and the modernisation of the Philippine Orthopedic Centre.

Planned PPP projects include a new passenger terminal for Mactan-Cebu International Airport, an extension of line one of the Light Rail Transit system, the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, new logistics terminals through the Integrated Transport System South and Southwest Terminals project, and new water systems through the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply project.

Residential construction on the rise Housing construction is also on the rise in the Philippines. Record low interest rates and lower down-payment requirements have motivated thousands of Filipinos, including first-time home-buyers, to purchase residential property. Around 25,000 residential condominium units are set to be built in Metro Manila’s top business districts between 2013 and 2016, almost half the total number of new condominiums built in the city over the past 40 years.

Public-private partnerships

Construction of new office space is also being stepped up to meet growing demand, especially from call centres and other business-outsourcing-services enterprises; this sector is expected to double its current workforce to reach 1.3 million employees by 2016. Industry analysts predict that around 1.5 million sq m of new offices will be built in the Philippines by the end of 2016.

Public-private partnerships are set to account for more and more construction projects in the Philippines in the

For international construction enterprises, the Philippines is definitely a growth market.

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE MASTER PHILIPPINES REGIO

Dynamic Developer Providing Homes for Those in Need Top-quality affordable housing All the houses Oneson Properties builds are top-quality, with good ventilation and lighting, yet all are affordable.

Elizabeth G. Pablico points out proudly, “Oneson Properties maintains high standards and has achieved all the necessary evaluations and accreditations with flying colours.”

Oneson Properties & Development Corporation, established in 2011, has already made a name

for itself by building affordable housing in areas not yet targeted by other developers. President

and General Manager Elizabeth G. Pablico

explains, “Oneson Properties is a very new

company with a very bright future. We choose the areas where we develop projects because

we believe these areas will be something special in the future. We do not have any competition.”

A key goal for Elizabeth G. Pablico is to provide housing for the most disadvantaged segment of the population. She says, “Our whole philosophy is to build affordable homes for Filipinos who would not normally be able to afford them. We want to build for the masses.”

Oneson Properties has been building homes in Zambales and the project is clearly a success, with most of the houses already sold. Elizabeth G. Pablico says, “It is touching to see how much of an effect we have had on the lives of the new owners of these houses. With my travel business, I can make somebody happy for maybe a week on holiday. With Oneson Properties, I can create happiness for many generations.”

She adds that an upcoming project for Oneson is Puerto Princessa in Palawan. She says, “I have a plan to enable foreign buyers to actually own homes there, something that they cannot currently do.”

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“Even though Oneson Properties is new with a short track record, I have already run a successful business.”

To reach its ambitious goals, Oneson Properties welcomes partnerships with foreign investors. Elizabeth G. Pablico says, “Even though Oneson Properties is new with a short track record, I have already run a successful business, Wintrex Travel Corporation, so potential partners can have faith in us. I have demonstrated that I offer a wealth of experience and reliability.”

Oneson Properties strongly supports the efforts of the Filipino government to spur on the growth of the country’s housing sector. Elizabeth G. Pablico says, “The Filipino housing industry has enormous potential and European investors should come here and see this potential for themselves. With the right investment, Oneson Properties is a seriously exciting prospect. We are a new company, but we are dynamic, we are innovative, and we have a conscience.”

Oneson Properties & Development Corporation 2/F DM Bldg., Visayas cor., Congressional Ave. Quezon City Tel.: +63 2 426 4492/93, 709 1113/37 inquiry@onesonproperties.com.ph www.onesonproperties.com.ph

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Construction

Only Authorised CAT Dealer in the Philippines ment to integrity. Doing business with Monark is 100% legitimate and utterly transparent.”

Monark Equipment welcomes the chance to partner with European companies and investors involved in projects in the Philippines. Jose Antonio Banson says, “Monark is very open to working with private or public-sector partners who share our values and high quality standards. For European investors, the Philippines offers immense opportunities as the country continues to upgrade its infrastructure.”

Monark Equipment, the dynamic heavy-equipment specialist

in the Philippines, grew out of a family-owned construction enterprise founded in 1962 by Onofre B. Banson.

The company has participated in some of the biggest projects in the Philippines, including the massive San Roque Dam. Chosen to be CAT Equipment’s only authorised dealer in the Philippines, Monark began to focus on heavy equipment. Today, Monark continues to adhere to the high standards of quality and customer service that have made it a success since its beginnings.

As Chairman Jose Antonio Banson, son of the founder, points out, “So many businesses can only function with CAT equipment, and as we are the sole authorised dealer of this state-of-theart equipment in the Philippines, many companies depend on us. Our equipment is the best in the country and we have the

1

best product-support credibility along with an extensive network of 12 branches in many locations.” The Philippines has learned it can count on Monark.

Commitment to integrity and quality In addition to its cutting-edge equipment, Monark has earned a reputation for reliability, exceptional customer service and high standards.

Jose Antonio Banson explains, “Some companies in the heavy-equipment sector do not operate ‘by the book’, finding ways of avoiding taxes and so forth. Monark distinguishes itself from others through our commit-

As a 100% Filipino company, Monark places a high priority on supporting the people of the Philippines. For the past 15 years, it has operated a special school to train workers in using heavy equipment.

Students spend eight months in the school and 18 months being trained on the job. “Our graduates find important jobs in leading companies and many choose to work with Monark,” Jose Antonio Banson explains.

Jose Antonio Banson urges European investors to come to the Philippines to investigate all its opportunities for themselves. He concludes, “The Philippines is English-speaking and shares western values. This country has a lot going for it, and you can count on Monark for world-class heavy-equipment support.”

Monark Equipment 13 Economia St., Bagumbayan Quezon City, Metro Manila Tel.: +63 2 635 0901 customercare@monark-cat.com www.monark-cat.com

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THE PHILIPPINES MASTER REGIO

Voice of the Construction Industry The

Philippine

Constructors

Association (PCA), the oldest construction-industry

organisation

in the Philippines, was established by nine Filipino heads of local construction ďŹ rms to take the lead in rebuilding the country after World War II. Today, this dynamic

organisation, which has been

instrumental in rebuilding the

Philippines after the destruction of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013, continues to play a key role in the national economy.

The PCA is headed by CEO Lito Madrasto and includes around 1,500 individual construction contractors as regular members; manufacturers of construction materials as well as equipment and service providers as associate members; other trade organisations allied to the construction industry as afďŹ liate members; and smaller construction-trade organisations of regional, provincial or municipal constructors as chapter members.

Around 80% of total construction in the Philippines Construction enterprises which are members of the PCA handle 70% to 80% of total construction activity in the Philippines every year. Moreover, all PCA member companies are licensed and operate with professional manage-

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Construction Sector

ment teams, up-to-date technologies, skilled personnel and a solid financial base.

The PCA not only supports the continued development of the construction industry in the Philippines but it also provides a range of services, including reports on the industry’s performance and information about major events and current trends in the construction sector in the Philippines and worldwide. Through its PCA Update / Bid Bulletin, circulars, letters, and its website, members are advised on upcoming projects open to tender bids, including BOT projects, government initiatives and private-sector construction developments. The PCA also provides information on market and product profiles, foreign and trade directories, country profiles and economic indicators relevant to the construction sector.

Focus on skills training The PCA conducts regular skills-training courses as well as skills testing and certification for construction-industry workers, in close coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority of the Philippines (TESDA) and the Construction Manpower Development Foundation (CMDF). As a licensed Continuing Professional Education provider for the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), the PCA conducts subsidised training, seminars and symposiums for all its member companies to keep them up to date on recent developments in the construction sector.

In addition, the PCA regularly organises conferences, training sessions and other

activities of benefit to its members, including the biggest construction exhibition in the Philippines, the Philippine International Construction, Building Materials and Equipment Exhibition, or PHILCONSTRUCT. Hundreds of companies active in the construction industry and related fields participate in this major business meeting.

Active regionally and internationally as well as in the Philippines, the PCA is a founder and active member of the International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors Association (IFAWPCA), the ASEAN Constructors Federation (ACF), and the Confederation of International Constructors Association (CICA).

The PCA’s main areas of interest include promoting construction safety, developing management skills in the construction industry through training initiatives, and ensuring a level playing field for foreign construction enterprises operating in the Philippines. The PCA also supports joint-venture partnerships between local and international players as a means of encouraging technology transfer.

In January 2014, past and current directors of the PSA met at the organisation’s headquarters in Pasig City to develop strategic initiatives to further enhance the PCA’s role as the voice of the Philippine construction industry.

Projects for the PCA in 2014 have included a management course for heads of construction companies, the creation of a database of PCA members’ projects, a database of Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE)-accredited constructionsafety training institutions and safety institutions, a seminar on PPPs for PCA members, and trade missions to Timor Leste, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, Turkey and Iraq.

Liaison between public and private sectors Recognised as the voice of the construction industry, the PCA serves as a liaison between the public and private sectors and is represented in a number of government bodies tasked with policy formulation and implementation. PCA representatives bring business concerns and problems confronting the construction industry to the attention of Filipino government leaders. PCA representatives also regularly meet with foreign entrepreneurs and trade missions.

The PCA is occasionally requested by the government of the Philippines to assist in undertaking special projects, such as rebuilding after Typhoon Yolanda and emergency construction of schools and roads after other natural disasters. The PCA distributes these projects to its members for execution.

Through its Construction Manpower Development Committee, the PCA is analysing trade-skills assessment of PCA-member workers and validate existing training regulations for Reinforced Steel Bar (RSB) Fixers. The committee will also represent the Philippines in an effort by the ASEAN Construction Federation (ACF) to harmonise construction standards in the regional industry. Over the long term, the PCA aims to establish the Philippine Construction Academy at the CITC Training Centre Grounds within the Department of Trade and Industry complex in Marikina City. Thanks to the PCA, the Philippines’ construction industry has put the focus on quality.

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THE PHILIPPINES

Dynamic Construction Firm in a Rising Economy The current economic boom in the Philippines is triggering further demand towards large-scale developments.

In the midst of it all is DDT Konstract, Inc., one of the leading contractors in the country. With the construction industry being among the fastest growing sectors in the country, consistency and stability is quite a feat among constructionʼs major players – and DDTKI, with ISO 9001:2008 certified standards, sure is not to be left behind.

DDTKI’s key to success is simple as it hits the nail on the head in identifying the primary objective of the project owners and that is – Time, Cost and Quality.

The company’s strict adherence to these standards never fails to win accolades from clients, thereby creating repeat orders. With full support from its partners in the finance sector, sub-contractors, and suppliers, DDTKI now has a contracting capacity of PHP12 billion or more than €200 million, making it capable of simultaneously conducting large-scale project orders. Hence, DDTKI’s clients are the most prominent corporations in the country from different sectors; with projects ranging from real estate developments to corporate offices to entertainment, hotels and leisure.

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Engr. Danilo D. Tamayo, President & Chairman

Data Precast Systems, Inc. Backward Integration Innovation has become DDTKI’s mantra and spearheading this is the recently started operation of its very own state-ofthe-art precast plant, Data Precast Systems, Inc., another ISO 9001:2008 certified sister company. With advanced precast production technique and latest generation automated precasting equipment from Finland, Data Precast is currently being looked upon by other Asian countries in terms of adopting the efficient development of top-of-the-line precast products, quality and safety procedures. Having its own precast plant and a fleet of reliable heavy equipment give the company an edge in this fast-paced industry.

DataLand, Inc. Forward Integration Meanwhile, signalling its foray in the burgeoning real estate industry is the launching of its real estate arm, DataLand, Inc., in 2011. A developer focused on residential, industrial, hotel and leisure developments, DataLand’s motto is ‘quality beyond the basics.’ Its main goal is to bring in exceptional quality in everything that they do – maintaining the culture of excellence set by

its exclusive contractor and sister company, DDTKI. Headlining the developments are The Silk Residences, a high-rise residential development in Sta. Mesa, Manila and The Ivy Wall, a 120-room hotel in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Many projects are still in the pipeline including other vertical projects in Metro Manila key areas such as The Olive Place, a mid-use high rise development in one of the country’s busiest business districts, Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong and a potential leisure development in Palawan.

Dataj Aquafarm, Inc. and Agriwaras Company New Ventures Furthering its stability the company is branching out into other enterprises outside construction; one of which is aqua farming and agriculture through Dataj Aquafarm and Agriwaras based in northern Luzon.

Embracing the developments and demand in this booming industry, Engr.

Danilo Tamayo, DDTKI’s Chairman, welcomes partnerships with European companies and investors. He says, “Partnerships are crucial for us. When it comes to Europe, we are very open to creating partnerships with all like-minded institutions with an interest in the construction sector in the Philippines.” Quality-oriented DDT Konstract, Inc. is ready to take its operations to the next level.

DDT Konstract Inc. Unit 401, 4th Floor, Lancaster Hotel No. 622 Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City 1151 Metro Manila Tel: +63 2 571 8668 to 70 +63 2 571 6274 www.ddtkonstract.com Data Land Inc. Tel: +63 917 549 8000 +63 2 570 4409 www.dataland.ph

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

• Secretary Outlines Ambitious Education Reforms • Education System Meeting International Standards

Education

“The private sector is our partner in education, helping to deliver the kind of education every Filipino child deserves.”

Armin Luistro, Secretary of the Department of Education

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE PHILIPPINES MASTER REGIO

Secretary Outlines Ambitious Education Reforms when they officially opened

behind the Philippines’ decision to transition from a 10-year educational system to a K-12 (kindergarten to grade 12) system. This move will put the Philippines’ educational system on par with those in other countries around the world. The K-12 system is set to begin officially in 2016.

elementary

Transition to K-12 system

The Department of Education

and the Department of Public

Works and Highways achieved a major goal in February 2014 66,813 new classrooms in public

and

schools

secondary

throughout

the Philippines. These new classrooms will go a long way towards providing more and

better

educational

opportunities throughout the country as well as combating overcrowding.

Armin Luistro, Secretary of the Department of Education, has led the effort to build new classrooms by bringing together public-sector and privatesector funding as well as donations from international financing organisations. He describes the new classrooms as the “fulfilment of a dream”. At a recent ceremony for new classrooms at Carmona National High School, the secretary said, “This is a collaborative work of private organisations and public institutions, showing commitment to quality education for Filipino learners. The private sector is our partner in education, helping to deliver the kind of education every Filipino child deserves.”

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Armin Luistro, Secretary of the Department of Education

The classrooms range from one-story structures to multi-floor buildings and were built using national and local government funds as well as private-sector financing. More than 35,000 classrooms were funded by the national budget, 13,189 classrooms by local government funds, 14,886 by local donations, 1,215 by foreign donations, and 2,242 through public-private partnerships in the government’s “PPP for School Infrastructure” project.

The Department of Education is building more classrooms this year in part to prepare for the new grades 11 and 12 classes to be offered in 2016.

Secretary Luistro was a major force

In a speech he delivered in July this year, Secretary Luistro noted the challenges and benefits of the change to a K-12 system. He said, “We remain committed to the Filipino learner and we continue to address the incremental requirements of enrolment growth and additional requirements with the introduction of senior high school (grades 11 and 12). In fact, this is the first time in the history of the agency that we are going to build classrooms in preparation for future requirements. We are also hiring teachers at unprecedented levels to position our schools to provide quality education.

The continued roll-out of the K-12 curriculum sets the foundation for lasting reform of the Philippine educational system.”

Praising President Aquino for his support of education reform, Secretary Luistro added, “We will leave no Filipino child behind.

The President continues to be bound by his social contract to the Filipino people.

We will persevere to restore people’s faith in government by pursuing muchneeded reforms.”

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Education Sector

University of the Philippines

The private sector can play an important role in helping the Philippines adopt the K-12 system, Secretary Luistro believes.

He says, “The private sector can work closely with the regional and divisional offices of the Department of Education with the goal of convergence, complementarity, and coordination – not competition or lack of contact.”

Secretary Luistro serves as the voice of the Department of Education in relations with the general public. In 2013, he announced a revision in the policy statement of the Department of Education concerning religion. Clarifying some confusion over the meaning of this revision, he explained recently, “We maintain that the formation of Godloving learners is a vision that we have not surrendered. We do not have any fundamental disagreement therefore with the position of various groups who wish to promote the love of God among our learners. We affirm the longestablished constitutional principle of ‘benevolent neutrality’ towards religion and spirituality. We also affirm that the department will continue to promote the spirit of inclusivity and remain open to dialogue, as this is a part of learning to live together.”

Praise for the Filipino spirit Faced with financial hurdles, natural disasters which have destroyed schools throughout the country, and a need to provide a top-quality education to a rapidly growing population, the Department of Education has confronted a

© Michael Manzano - Dreamstime.com

number of challenges in recent years.

At a speech marking the graduation of students throughout the country in spring 2014, Secretary Luistro outlined his goals for the education system. He said, “Congratulations to our proud graduates! My warmest greetings to our school administrators, teachers, staff, and parents who have helped and guided our graduates to attain this sig-

nificant milestone in their lives. Today is a testimony to the enduring and resilient Filipino spirit, to our ability to stand up again and conquer the odds, to our innate optimism to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We see the ray of hope in the faith and joy we share with each other even in the most trying of circumstances. We may be battered but definitely never defeated.”

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THE PHILIPPINES

Education System Meeting International Standards Education has long held a central place in the

political, economic social and cultural life of

the Philippines and is highly valued by the Filipino population.

Speaking to the Philippine Higher Education Conference in August this year, Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Philippines, said, “Education is the best investment that we can make for our country’s future, which is why it receives priority status in my administration’s development programmes.”

The Department of Education receives more government support than any federal agency in the Philippines.

Transition to K-12 system The Philippines recently undertook a major overhaul of its education system to bring it in line with education systems worldwide. Switching from a 10-year basic-education programme to a K-12 (kindergarten to grade 12) programme last year, the Philippines had over 20 million students enrolled in K-12 classes throughout the country as of 2013. The government continues to invest in the education sector to reach the ambitious goals of its “Education for All by 2015” initiative.

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The K-12 basic education programme in the Philippines is geared to providing every Filipino child with the education she or he needs to compete in the global marketplace. Kindergarten was previously optional, and advocates of the K-12 programme argued that students who go to kindergarten are better prepared for primary education than those who do not.

The transition to a K-12 system is part of the Aquino administration’s “10-Point Education Agenda”. The 10 points include K-12 basic education, kindergarten for all, instruction in mother-tongue languages, reading ability for each child by grade one, the Madaris (Islamic) educational system as an official sub-system, better teaching of science and mathematics, government assistance to private education, better textbooks, more schools, and technical and vocational instruction in public high schools (secondary schools).

Public-private partnerships The commitment to building more schools addresses the overcrowding the education system has faced. In October

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Education Sector

2013, the Department of Education signed an agreement with two winning consortia which will build around 10,000 classrooms. As in other sectors of the economy, the Philippines is promoting public-private partnerships for creating more and better educational infrastructure.

The focus on vocational and technical education in secondary schools aims to address high unemployment among young people in the Philippines. The Philippines’ Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) implemented a new K-12 technical-vocational curriculum at the beginning of the 2014 school year.

TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva comments, “Technical-vocational education and training (TVET) will play a central role in the new education model that prepares students for tertiary education, middle-skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.”

Global education hub As it continues to upgrade its education sector, the Philippines is positioning itself as an international education hub and a study destination of choice for students from the AsiaPacific region and beyond. In 2013, over 47,500 foreign students were studying in the Philippines, a 14% rise over the previous year. Some of those students chose the Philippines to study English, and the government is hoping to boost ESL student numbers by making it easier for these students to stay in the Philippines as they learn.

Higher-education institutions are also being upgraded.

According to the Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education, the country now has 2,299 higher-education institutions, of which 656 are public and 1,643 are private. Both public and private higher-education institutions in the Philippines can apply for accreditation, which is voluntary. As of 2013, 484 higher-education institutions were accredited, of which 230 were public and 254 were private.

Accreditation of all schools in the Philippines is handled by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU), a private, non-profit

corporation founded in 1957. PAASCU is one of the three founding members of the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP), which was established in 1977 and is authorised by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to certify the levels of accredited programs for the purpose of granting progressive deregulation and other benefits. PAASCU is a member of the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) and of the Asia-Pacific Quality Network (APQN). PAASCU also partners with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA) in the US.

Preparing students for global challenges Commenting on the need to continue to improve the Philippines’ education system, President Aquino noted in his speech in August, “We are well on our way to making basic education in the Philippines on par with international standards. Now we are pursuing reforms to elevate the quality of higher learning in the Philippines.” He added, “May we equip our citizens with the knowledge and skills that will allow them to navigate the obstacles of our present milieu, and succeed and flourish in a rapidly changing, exceedingly dynamic, and highly competitive world.”

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE MASTER PHILIPPINES REGIO

Physicians’ Organisation Playing Key Role in Healthcare Development The Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) has long played a

crucial role in the Philippinesʼ healthcare sector. As Dr. Priscilla B.

Caguioa, President, explains, “The Philippine College of Physicians

is an exceptionally dynamic institution and is without a doubt the premier organisation of internal medicine in the Philippines.

The PCP also differentiates itself from other healthcare groups in that it is primarily an academic organisation.”

The PCP has helped to drive through many innovations in the Philippines’ healthcare sector, including the reproductive health bill to expand birth control and a current anti-smoking campaign. In addition to its support for regulatory advances and preventive medicine, the PCP is involved in a wide array of community-service projects, including providing considerable assistance for the victims of natural disasters. Dr. Priscilla Caguioa says, “The Philippine College of Physicians has done a lot of workin the provinces, where facilities and accessibility to education remain a great challenge in poverty stricken areas. Not only do we educate students; we also thoroughly educate teachers. This helps communities by equipping them with the tools to help themselves.”

Strong supporter of Department of Health’s projects Although it is a private-sector organisation, the Philippine College of Physicians strongly supports the Filipino government’s efforts to showcase the strengths of the national healthcare industry. “It is crucial for both the public and the private sector to work hand in hand in order for the Filipino healthcare sector to improve and grow to its full potential.

It is therefore imperative for us to stand alongside Secretary Ona of the Department of Health to promote and showcase the healthcare industry of the Philippines to Europe, along with the continuation of partnerships with other private-sec-

136

tor institutions, such as the Philippine Medical Association,” Dr. Priscilla Caguioa says.

In addition to its cooperation with other Filipino groups, the Philippine College of Physicians has formed partnerships with institutions throughout Asia and the US, however looking towards the future, it is particularly interested in working with European organisations. Dr. Priscilla Caguioa points out, “We see great potential for the healthcare industry in Europe and we would like the Philippine College of Physicians to be better known among European healthcare professionals.”

With some 10,000 member physicians working all over the Philippines, the Philippine College of Physicians is a true voice of the country’s healthcare professionals. Dr. Priscilla Caguioa concludes, “As internists we are exceptionally close to our patients, we are a dynamic organization, we have young and aggressive minds, and our powerful advocacy activities are expanding.”

Philippine College of Physicians Units 2201-2203, 22 Floor One San Miguel Ave. Bldg San Miguel Ave. cor. Shaw Blvd.

Ortigas Center, Pasig City Tel.: +63 2 910 2250/2252/2253/2254 secretariat@pcp.org.ph, www.pcp.org.ph

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Sector Education

Helping Special Children Live Fuller Lives

Prestigious University Links East and West

The Childʼs World Foundation helps children with

De

and Director Evelina Mendoza Tan, who is herself

ago, exemplifies the high quality of education in

special needs live fuller, happier lives. Founder legally blind, explains that the foundation she

created in 1982 aims “to foster competence in the childʼs dealing with life, not only at the intellectual level, but also in all aspects of the self: physical,

emotional, creative, social and cognitive.Children

are helped to live comfortably with others and to master and safely express their feelings.”

La

Salle

University

(DLSU),

a

Catholic

university founded in France almost 400 years the Philippines and serves as a bridge between western and eastern cultures..

De La Salle Brother Ricky P. Laguda FSC, President and Chancellor, points out, “The Philippines brings East and West together, and DLSU can be a perfect, adaptable environment for all types of people from around the world.”

DLSU is particularly well known for its business and engineering programs and for its productive partnerships with industry. The uni- Brother Ricky P. Laguda FSC, President and Chancellor versity stands out from others in the Philippines through its openness to other cultures and its presence in more than 80 countries.

Evelina Mendoza Tan

The foundation serves as a school for preschoolers, and special-needs children as well as a residence facility for persons with disability. It offers speech, occupational, emotional, trauma and behavioural therapy as well as supplementary programmes like diagnostic evaluation, psychometric services, training and seminars for parents, trips outside the school, theatrical productions, a Special Olympics, and much more. The Child’s World Foundation supports education for all; 75% of its students attend on scholarships.

Evelina Tan, whose inspirational leadership is a key reason for the foundation’s success, is looking for European partnerships to help Child’s World Foundation continue to expand its services. She says, “After 32 years, countless children have made Child’s World special by developing themselves to their full potential. We invite like-minded advocates to join us in our journey, and we promise a truly fulfilling experience.”

Student and faculty exchanges De La Salle Brother Ricky P. Laguda FSC would like to strengthen DLSU’s international ties. He says, “I would like to see more students from Europe studying here and more of our students studying in European universities. I strongly believe that our top DLSU students are on par with those from the top 1% of Europe’s highly ranked institutions.”

DLSU also welcomes research partnerships with foreign universities and private companies and is very open to faculty exchanges. De La Salle University aims to be a leading learner-centered research University that bridges faith and scholarship at the service of transforming the society.

De La Salle University, Manila campus 2401 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila 0922 Tel.: +63 2 521 9094, +63 2 524 4611, local: 801, 802, 803 opc@dlsu.edu.ph, www.dlsu.edu.ph

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THE PHILIPPINES

• High-Quality Healthcare for All

Health

“The most important reform has been to make healthcare a growth driver of the Philippines.”

Dr. Enrique T. Ona, Secretary of Health

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MASTER REGIO

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Health

Secretary of Health Highlights Recent Progress in Healthcare © Department of Health

through a single insurance wherein the poor would be enrolled through a premium paid for and shared by the national and local governments.

In practice, the majority of the local governments were unable to afford their share. As a result, many of the poor were not enrolled. When the new administration took over in 2010, our mantra was to include the previously overlooked poorest segment of the population, which included some 5.2 million households, or around 25 million people. This is one-quarter of the population of the Philippines.”

Dr. Enrique T. Ona, the Philippinesʼ Secretary of Health, oversees the Aquino administrationʼs ambitious healthcare projects,

including universal healthcare coverage through the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, PhilHealth. Singling out the most

important recent advances in the Philippinesʼ healthcare sector, he says, “The most important reform has been to make healthcare a growth driver of the Philippines. Essentially, our ambition is to

make sure that all Filipinos, especially the poor, are included

in our national health-insurance programme.” Today, 81% of

the countryʼs population receives healthcare coverage through PhilHealth.

PhilHealth now covering 81% of population The PhilHealth programme, which replaced an earlier system protecting workers, began in 1995 with a new law that stated that all Filipinos should be protected by national health insurance

1

within 15 years. In 2010, however, only around 54% of the population was covered.

Dr. Enrique T. Ona explains, “PhilHealth mandated that every Filipino, meaning both the formal and informal sector, would be enrolled

Dr. Enrique T. Ona notes that one challenge for the PhilHealth programme has been to inform the poorest members of the population, many of whom have no fixed address, that they are eligible for healthcare protection. He adds, “Our population counts roughly 97 million people, and it is our assumption today that we have covered the poorest layer of society through PhilHealth.

However, there is still a large layer, the so-called ‘near poor’, that are not yet enrolled. The projected number of families from this layer is 14.7 million, essentially 58.8 million Filipinos. We hope to have them enrolled by the end of this year.”

Focus on rural healthcare services The Secretary notes that the government has significantly increased its healthcare spending. He says, “Our Health Facility Enhancement Programme (HFEP) sets targets for budget allocation to improve our healthcare facilities through 2016.”

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE PHILIPPINES

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Sector

Much of this funding will go towards improving healthcare services and promoting preventive care in rural areas. Dr. Enrique T. Ona says, “Rural healthcare units are the backbone of our primary healthcare system.” He adds, “We are making significant amounts of funds available to ensure the placement of the right doctors in the right areas.

While we have sufficient doctors in the Philippines, you will find that around 70% are in urban areas.”

Foreign partners welcome The Philippines’ healthcare system benefits from strong support from partners abroad, Dr. Enrique T. Ona explains. He says, “We will receive a total of around €50 million in foreign assistance for our healthcare system in 2014, mainly for capacity-building.”

The Secretary of Health welcomes foreign healthcare enterprises to get involved in public-private-partnership projects in the Philippines’ healthcare sector. He says, “The Philippines has partnered with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to turn Manila, and the Philippines, into a centre for public-private partnerships. The modernisation of our Department of Health hospital is one healthcare project open to PPP investments. We are also about to start our first major PPP for the Philippines’ orthopaedic centre. In addition to that, we have around 25 other major government hospitals open to PPPs.” The Department of Health continues to set new goals, including stepping up the fight against malaria, dengue fever, leptospirosis, rabies, and HIV/ AIDS. “By 2016, we aim to have 40 provinces malaria-free,” the Secretary points out. He adds, “As for HIV, we are proposing certain amendments to the HIV law to ensure better reporting and prevention.” Developing medical

40

tourism is another goal for the Department of Health, although the secretary says, “We leave the implementation to the private sector, as all our attention is currently required to reach universal healthcare and help the poor. We are pleased to note that we have several hospitals that have received international and ISO accreditations.”

While challenges remain, Dr. Enrique T. Ona notes the many recent successes in the government’s drive to improve

the nation’s healthcare. He says, “We have been able to pass a major law on the funding of healthcare through increased taxes on alcohol and tobacco products, we have passed the Reproductive Health and Responsible Parenthood Act to address maternal and infant mortality, and we have made universal healthcare for all mandatory through PhilHealth. This administration has reached a number of major achievements on the healthcare front.”

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Health

Pharmaceutical Leader Helps Filipinos Be Well Global healthcare leader MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) is

committed to making a positive difference in the Philippines.

Dr. Beaver R. Tamesis, M.D. President and Managing Director

of MSD Philippines, explains, “At the end of the day, MSD genuinely works to improve the health of the Filipino people

in partnership with the Department of Health and in support of Universal Health Care. We are always mindful of what will be relevant to Filipinos and our contribution to public health. My

job is not just to make sure I hit our business targets, but also to make sure MSD helps the people of the Philippines be well by living healthier and more productive lives.”

Dr. Beaver R. Tamesis, M.D. President and Managing Director MSD Philippines

MSD has established a reputation as a company that provides innovative solutions in the pharmaceutical sector.

The company entered the market with a focus on cardiovascular treatments and vaccines. In addition, MSD was the first pharmaceutical company in the Philippines to provide healthcare research facilities for physicians.

Dr. Tamesis notes, “In 1995 when we started this, Internet research was limited so we opened libraries both in and outside hospitals to provide scientific journals and resource materials.

Other companies later copied MSD but we were the first.”

One of the biggest healthcare challenges the Philippines faces is in its MDG goal of reducing the rate of mothers dying during childbirth. To help the country meet this challenge, MSD has introduced an innovative solution to help mothers space their births. The

1

hormonal implant is effective for three years and offers a cost-effective alternative to the daily pill which is difficult for women to access particularly those living in rural areas. Another area where MSD contributes to public health is through its portfolio of vaccines which prevent death and disease such as pneumonia, rotavirus, measles, mumps, rubella and cervical cancer and other hpv diseases.

Outstanding investment potential Dr. Beaver Tamesis points out that the Philippines has already made great progress in improving its healthcare sector and that the country offers excellent investment potential. He says, “MSD Philippines has shown that it is certainly possible to be very successful here in the Philippines, while remaining ethical with strong values and integrity.

The opportunities here are endless and the Philippines is a world-class place to do business. MSD’s success in the Philippines is a message to all the other big players out there that the Philippines is open and ready for investors.”

MSD has made a long-term commitment to making life better for the people of the Philippines. Dr. Tamesis says proudly, “A recent survey showed something staggering. Through MSD’s products and projects, including lifesaving vaccines, each individual Merck employee saves 1,500 lives. Just think about that. If I am contributing to saving lives, I can sleep well at night.”

MSD Philippines 26 Floor, Philamlife Tower 8767 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City 1226 Tel.: +63 2 784 9500 inquiries.philippines@merck.com www.msd.com.ph

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE PHILIPPINES

High-Quality Healthcare for All Providing high-quality healthcare for all is one of the primary goals of the Aquino administration.

While

the

Philippinesʼ

healthcare system continues to face many

challenges, it is making impressive progress

thanks to the governmentʼs reform measures.

In June 2013, President Aquino signed a law to provide universal healthcare in the Philippines through the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). The law mandates a national health-insurance program as the means for the healthy to help pay for the care of the sick, and for those who can afford medical care to subsidise those who cannot. Today, over 80% of the Filipino population has signed up for PhilHealth.

Stepping up investment in healthcare The government is also stepping up its investment in healthcare. According to the 2012 Philippines Health Service Delivery Profile, a collaboration between the Department of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO), only four of the 17 regions of the Philippines had an acceptable hospital-bed-to-population ratio.

To cope with this and other challenges, the government’s 2014 budget for healthcare is almost 50% higher than the 2013 allocation.

health personnel in some communities. “This new system addresses two issues: thousands of nurses and midwives now have jobs and an opportunity to gain valuable work experience; at the same time, millions of our countrymen now have increased access to quality healthcare,” President Aquino pointed out in his 2012 State of the Union speech.

The Aquino government has also developed programmes to upgrade the quality of medical personnel. In 2012, the Department of Health launched Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Service (RNHeals), a training programme to send nurses to unserved or underserved areas of the country to cope with a lack of public-

The Department of Health has also developed new programmes to deal with specific health issues, including a 2013 campaign against pneumonia. Through this initiative, free vaccinations against the respiratory infection were given to some 2.4 million infants between the ages of six months and one year. The Department of Health has also added other

42

THE EUROPEAN TIMES

Health Sector

vaccines to its Expanded Programme on Immunisation, including a Rotavirus vaccine.

In addition, the new Mandatory Infants and Children Health Immunisation programme requires local health centres and public hospitals to provide free vaccinations for children five years of age and younger to protect them against eight specific diseases as well as others that may be determined by the Secretary of Health in the future. The Aquino administration has also launched a new Reproductive Health law which is designed to address the problem of maternal and infant mortality, especially for the poor and near poor.

New “sin tax” to finance universal healthcare The Aquino administration’s new “Sin Tax” levies additional taxes on alcohol and tobacco and uses the revenues from these taxes to finance expanded healthcare coverage for the poor through the PhilHealth programme. The income from the new tax will also fund the construction of new clinics and hospitals.

The Philippines has been steadily implementing world-class standards in both public and private healthcare institutions. Highly ranked hospitals include the Medical Centre in Alabang, the Asian Hospital, the Makati Medical Centre, the Medical City in Ortigas, and St. Lukes Medical Centre in Quezon City, all considered equal to hospitals in Europe and the US. Both public and private hospitals are available throughout the country, although private hospitals, which are more expensive for patients, are located mainly in key cities.

The Philippines also has tertiary hospitals equipped with the latest medical technologies.

Highly trained medical personnel Medical practitioners in the Philippines are generally graduates of the top universities in the country and most of them have studied in US medical schools. Many doctors in the Philippines have practiced medicine in the US. Filipino nurses are also trained by nursing schools that have excellent standards.

In the pharmaceuticals sector, the Bureau of Food and Drugs must approve all drugs sold in the Philippines. Pharmacies around the country are staffed by professional pharmacists who have studied and trained in top medical schools, and these pharmacists follow stringent regulations concerning sales of drugs which can only be sold with a prescription.

Destination for medical tourism With its high-quality healthcare facilities, services and personnel, the Philippines is positioning itself as a destination for medical tourism. Medical treatments provided by top healthcare centres in the Philippines are generally of the same quality as in the US, Europe and other parts of the developed world, but at much lower costs. An additional plus is that healthcare professionals in the Philippines speak English.

The Philippines welcomes private investment in the healthcare sector and is creating public-private partnerships for healthcare projects. As President Aquino points out, “Ensuring that our citizens get the best medical care is the shared task of government and the private sector.”

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THE PHILIPPINES

St. Luke’s Medical Center: Among The World’s Best Hospitals St. Lukeʼs Medical Center has been recognised as one of the top hospitals in the world and remains to be the standard of excellence in Philippine healthcare. Its internationally trained physicians and medical professionals, using the latest medical equipment and technologies, have made St. Lukeʼs the first medical centre in the Philippines to receive JCI accreditation for its consistent adherence to international standards. It has likewise been awarded as one of the worldʼs “Best Hospitals”, a recognition given by the Diplomatic Council, a Europeanbased advocacy organisation.

Dr. Edgardo R. Cortez, President and CEO, further explains: “One thing that really sets St. Luke’s apart from all other hospitals in the Philippines is that we have the widest array of modern services.”

Proving this are medical success rates comparable to and even better than those of the best hospitals in the world. St. Luke’s has achieved a 100% procedural success rate in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), a 98% success rate in coronary artery bypass graft surgery, a 99% success rate in open-heart surgery, in-vitro fertilisation clinical pregnancy rate of 47%, which is higher than the world average of 31%, and a 98.9% survival rate for coronary angioplasty and stenting.

Complementing its exemplary success rates are the use of state-of-the-art equipment like the third generation da Vinci Si Surgical

System (the most advanced robotic surgical technology today), PET-CT Scan (the only two existing machines in the Philippines are found in St. Luke’s), and the 256-slice CT Scan, are just a few examples of the cutting edge tools at the disposal of the hospital’s world class doctors.

In addition to advanced and breakthrough treatments, St. Luke’s focuses on excellent patient care through its dedicated Patient Experience Officers who provide personalised assistance to patients’ medical and non-medical needs.

St. Luke’s is steadily moving to be the top choice for international medical tourism.

Both hospitals of St. Luke’s were certified for Excellence in Medical Tourism and Quality in International Patient Care by TEMOS,

Dr. Edgardo R. Cortez, M.D., President and CEO

a German-based healthcare accrediting organisation. Dr. Cortez adds, “We have been named the best hospital for medical tourism, and our facilities are the perfect setting for healing and recovery.”

St. Luke’s also remains optimistic about its steadily growing reputation abroad and its partnerships with healthcare institutions in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and other regions. “Partnerships in healthcare can benefit both sides and further improve patient care.” Dr. Cortez states.

St. Lukeʼs Quezon City 279 E. Rodriguez Sr. Boulevard Quezon City 1112 Trunk Line connecting all departments: +63 2 723 0101, +63 2 723 0301 info@stluke.com.ph St. Lukeʼs Global City 32nd St. Bonifacio Global City Taguig City 1634 Tel.: +63 2 789 7700 info.bgc@stluke.com.ph www.stlukesmedicalcenter.com.ph

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

• Attracting Visitors and Bringing Benefits of Tourism to Locals • It’s More Fun in the Philippines

Tourism

“Filipinos have a genuine sense of welcoming people and making them feel at ease.”

Ramon R. Jimenez Jr., Secretary of the Department of Tourism

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE PHILIPPINES

Attracting Visitors and Bringing Benefits of Tourism to Locals Defining what sets this campaign apart from the tourism marketing of other countries in the Asia-Pacific, Secretary Jimenez says, “Our idea is not for tourists to come and watch the Philippines but rather to come and join in. I think that our message is authentic in the sense that we decided to only promote what we have, nothing else. And the best asset of our country is above all our people. Filipino people will be at the heart of any traveller’s experience here.” He adds, “Filipinos have a genuine sense of welcoming people and making them feel at ease.”

Tourism campaign strongly supported by locals The “It’s more fun in the Philippines” campaign has a big presence on social media and has been strongly supported

by Filipinos. Secretary Jimenez says, “The Department of Tourism has 7.49 million Filipinos following our website and campaign. This means that all Filipinos are becoming ambassadors of our country.”

Ramon R. Jimenez Jr., Secretary of the Department of Tourism, is a member of the board of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)

and

previously

served

as

Vice

President and Executive Creative Director

at Ace-Saatchi & Saatchi advertising agency

in Manila. He has played a key role in the success of the Philippinesʼ recent global

tourism-promotion campaign, whose tag line is “Itʼs more fun in the Philippines”.

46

Secretary Jimenez notes that in addition to promoting the Philippines, the Department of Tourism is focussing on improving the country’s tourism infrastructure and on establishing new air connections to make getting to the Philippines easier. He says, “For domestic tourism, the priority is infrastructure. Our challenge is to form as much and as many links with other government offices as possible so as to arrive at needed capacities. The current crowding of airports is good news from an arrivals standpoint, but outgrowing capacity will be a problem.”

Making sure tourism benefits Filipinos Better tourism infrastructure will also help bring the benefits of tourism revenues to more Filipinos. Secretary Jimenez points out, “People in Cavite can take part in tourist booms in Laguna and vice versa, because transport between these two provinces is highly developed. However, even in successful tourist areas like Cebu City and Mactan, outlying regions are still among the most depressed because they do not have the connections and facilities to help them participate.”

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Tourism Sector

In fact, the Department of Tourism is currently focussing more and more on making sure that the tourism industry benefits the local population. Secretary Jimenez explains, “The single biggest shift in thinking on tourism lately has been the reassessment of how it can spread its benefits more inclusively, create jobs and help alleviate poverty. Out of that has come a new paradigm where inclusiveness is not the objective but the strategy, meaning we will create jobs at the planning stage and not expect them to be generated afterwards.”

Part of this effort will include reorienting tourism-infrastructure development to support Filipino suppliers of tourism-related products and services, such as producers of souvenirs or sellers of farm-to-table produce. Another goal for the Department of Tourism is to promote incentives for investors in locations around the country which have tourism attractions but lack facilities to support tourism.

High-potential niches Secretary Jimenez highlights several tourism niches which offer particularly strong growth potential in the Philippines.

He says, “The niche with the biggest potential for growth is eco-tourism. Whether as an accident of history or the result of periods of under-development, most of the country

remains well preserved. There are clusters of biodiversity that present tremendous opportunities to develop that niche. This becomes increasingly important as social media develop, and new generations of travellers arrive wishing to be part of something ecologically sound. As close to Manila as Dumaguete, the mountainous area of Twin Lakes (only a short trip from town) is home to 345 bird species – a great opportunity to attract a bird-watching market.”

Health tourism is another niche market with promise thanks to the Philippines’ high-quality healthcare professionals, state-of-the-art technologies and medical facilities, and lower costs for medical treatments than in many other countries.

Secretary Jimenez cites opportunities in cancer care, dentistry, orthopaedics and other specialities.

As part of its tourism development, the Philippines is forging regional partnerships. Secretary Jimenez explains, “The Philippines is joining hands with Singapore and Malaysia in many ways. In marketing, for example, we sell Singapore and the Philippines at the same time, as each is an extension of the other’s value. As Singapore tries to get tourists to stay longer, they are giving them the option to visit Boracay or Cebu on the same trip, boosting jobs and revenue for both countries. To ease border crossing, we are working towards a smart visa or single ASEAN visa.” As Secretary Jimenez points out, the Philippines continues to roll out the welcome mat for visitors.

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE MASTER PHILIPPINES REGIO

‘Green’ Luxury Inspired by Mother Nature

Cocoon Boutique Hotel offers a special kind of luxury inspired by Mother Nature.

The hotel is named for one of the most

perfect dwellings in existence: the cocoon.

Cocoon Boutique Hotel cocoons its guests in luxurious amenities, pampers them with a choice of food and beverage options, helps

them host successful meetings and events of all kinds, and rejuvenates their bodies and spirits with cutting-edge facilities that include a swimming pool, a spa, an aesthetic clinic and more.

What really makes this innovative property exceptional, however, are its “green” elements, from LED lighting to recycled rainwater, eco-insulation, recycled building materials and natural cooling systems. Owner Gigi Vinzon says, “Manila has a lot of hotels, so being unique is vital.

Cocoon Boutique Hotel is the definition of unique. Our guiding principle is our ‘green’ appeal. We are the first truly ‘green’ hotel in the Philippines. The wood in our reception area is all recycled, and the water we use for washing and gardening is recycled rainwater. No other hotel in the Philippines can come close to that.”

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Award-winning service The hotel’s well-trained staff members take genuine pleasure in providing personalised service with a smile. Gigi Vinzon points out, “Other than the green aspect, our hotel’s competitive edge is our service, which is second to none. When you visit Cocoon Boutique Hotel, you will experience pure luxury.

Many European tourists spend a few days in Manila before going to the Philippines’ island resorts. Cocoon Boutique Hotel is the perfect base for these travellers, because they can stay in Manila yet feel that they are already in a resort thanks to the boutique luxury that we provide.” Cocoon Boutique Hotel has won a number of awards, including on Trip Advisor, and has been named one of the top hotels in the Philippines for its exemplary service.

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Tourism

Cocoon Boutique Hotel is ideally located in Quezon City, one of Metropolitan Manila’s most prestigious neighbourhoods. Set in the affluent South Triangle area near Timog Avenue, the hotel is only two blocks from Tomas Morato Avenue, known for its many shops, restaurants, cultural attractions and entertainment venues.

The hotel offers a choice of rooms and suites, each with top-of-the-line bedding and linens, elegant furnishings, highspeed Internet connections, a safe, a mini-bar, and many other amenities. All rooms are non-smoking.

Wide choice of food and beverage options Cocoon Boutique Hotel’s food and beverage options range from Abuela’s Coffeeshop and The Deck Breakfast Venue to The Deck Bar, Il Duello Ristorante, Paire Cocktails & Pastries, and My SerendipiTea. The hotel also offers a swimming pool, an exercise room, Iris Spa and Nail Art, Peps Silvestre Salon, the Mulberry Shop of Flowers and Finds, and the Nouvelle Aesthetic Clinic, which provides cosmetic surgery and other services in a luxurious setting. For meetings and events, Cocoon Boutique Hotel has a choice of flexible rooms equipped with the latest technologies.

tination and to supporting the local community; the hotel partners with a local school for children with special needs.

“It is very important to us to give back to the Philippines,” Gigi Vinzon explains. She adds, “A lot of tourists come to our country to experience the Philippines and Filipino culture.

Cocoon Boutique Hotel is a Filipino brand, an entirely Filipino-owned business. We offer the true feel of local culture.”

The hotel’s additional perks include 24-hour concierge service, 24-hour room service, valet parking, a business centre, laundry and dry-cleaning, and more. The hotel’s dedicated staff members fulfil all requests promptly, from making hotel, car-hire and airline reservations to providing baby-sitting, arranging meetings and events, giving advice on things to see and do in the Philippines, and other support.

Cocoon Boutique Hotel welcomes both individuals and groups from all over the world. Gigi Vinzon notes, “We are incredibly open to creating partnerships with European institutions. We recently welcomed a group from Greenpeace who were very happy with their stay here. We would like to attract more visitors who wish to experience an entirely different kind of hotel which puts the focus on green luxury and service.” Building on the success of Cocoon Boutique Hotel, the hotel’s owners are currently building another property, The Hive, which will also be exceptionally environmentally friendly and will provide outstanding service.

As a 100% Filipino-owned hotel, Cocoon Boutique Hotel is committed to promoting the Philippines as a tourism des-

Open to international partnerships

Gigi Vinzon invites European travellers to discover the Philippines and to stay at Cocoon Boutique Hotel. To potential visitors, she says, “When you come here, you will see that our country’s tourism slogan is true. It really is more fun in the Philippines! Our country is one of those places that should be on every traveller’s bucket list. The Philippines has so much to offer, and Cocoon Boutique Hotel is the ideal base in Manila.”

Cocoon Boutique Hotel 61 Scout Tobias corner Scout Rallos Streets Bgy Laging Handa, Quezon City 1103 Tel.: +63 2 921 2706 to 08 info@thecocoonhotel.com - www.thecocoonhotel.com

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

THE PHILIPPINES

It’s More Fun in the Philippines Boracay island

More and more international travellers are choosing the Philippines. Travel & Leisure Magazine named the Philippines one of its “Hottest Travel Destinations of 2013”, while White Beach in Boracay on the Philippine island of Visayas was named the Trip Advisor Traveller’s Choice “best beach” last year.

Most outstanding Asia-Pacific destination

It really is more fun in the Philippines, as the

Department of Tourismʼs marketing campaign promises. This beautiful country made up of more than 7,000 islands offers gorgeous

beaches, a rich cultural heritage, fantastic possibilities for eco-tourism, vibrant cities, fabulous

food,

friendly

English-speaking

people, great shopping, opportunities for all

kinds of sports and adventure tourism, and

excellent services for executive travellers and the MICE travel segment.

Adding to these accolades, the Philippines was recently named the “Most Outstanding Destination in the AsiaPacific Region” by Travel Trade Gazette. When he accepted the award, Ramon Jimenez, Secretary of Tourism for the Philippines, commented, “This award belongs to all Filipinos.

It is the Filipino people that have made the Department of Tourism’s marketing campaign a true and accurate description of the active role every Filipino plays in ensuring a successful and enjoyable visit to the Philippines.”

Ramon Jimenez anticipates a 15% growth in tourism revenues for the Philippines in 2014, and the Department of Tourism recently launched its “Visit Philippines 2015” initiative, which includes numerous major events scheduled for next year. The Department of Tourism has singled out five key tourism themes to be promoted in the Philippines in 2015; these are business meetings; history and culture; lifestyle and entertainment; music and the arts; and sports, adventure and eco-tourism.

In boosting its tourism numbers, the Philippines is increasingly promoting its unique cultural appeal. Myrna Seguismondo, chair-person of the National Food Showdown, recently commented on the Philippines’ winning combination of beautiful scenery and great food. She says, “Our local cuisines will complement our scenic tourist destinations and will translate to a robust growth in our country’s tourism industry.” The Philippines is known for the vibrant regional cuisines of such areas as Pampango, Illongo, Bicolano and Ilocano, all with popular culinary specialties that reflect the country’s multicultural heritage.

Wide range of unique attractions Some of the top attractions for visitors to the Philippines include Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea, a marine sanctuary

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THE EUROPEAN TIMES

Sector

The Mayon Volcano on Luzon island

protected as the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park. The reef is made up of two atolls, North Atoll and South Atoll, and is one of the most popular dive sites in the Philippines.

San Agustin Church in Manila is one of the country’s most popular historic landmarks. Built in 1589, this beautiful church has survived earthquakes and fires and is the oldest stone church in the Philippines. Its ceiling was painted in the 1800s by Italian artists.

Mayon Volcano, rising more than 2,400 m above sea level, is the most active volcano in the country and has a perfectly symmetrical cone shape. Visitors can enjoy a number of activities in the area, including climbing, hiking, bird-watching and photography.

Malapascua Island is popular for its diving spots and for being the only place in the world to see thresher sharks on a regular basis, as well as manta rays and hammerheads. The island also has beautiful, white-sand beaches and colourful coral gardens.

Sunset in El Nido, Palawan

Puerto Galera, just south of Manila, is a charming resort town known for its gorgeous beaches as well as for its shopping, dining, nightlife and hotel accommodations.

Another popular attraction is the natural harbour of Muelle Bay with its shops, restaurants and bars. Visitors can also snorkel to see some of Asia’s best coral reefs or dive among old shipwrecks.

Ideal eco-tourism choice Puerto Princesa on Palawa Island is an ideal eco-tourism destination thanks to its unspoiled landscapes rich in wildlife as well as its navigable underground river, the longest in the world. Guided paddle-boat tours give visitors a chance to see unique cave formations.

Donsol, in Sorsogon province, has pristine beaches, stunning waterfalls and unexplored caves. Between November and June, visitors can see the whale sharks that come to the area.

Tourists can also take a boat cruise along the Donsol River through mangrove and palm trees, or participate in a traditional shrimp-catching expedition.

Boracay is a paradise for beach-lovers. This small island has award-winning beaches, beautiful resorts and exceptional adventure-tourism opportunities, from cliff diving to parasailing, motorbiking, horseback-riding, snorkelling, kite-surfing and scuba-diving. It is also known for its stunning sunsets, volcanic caves, remote coves bathed in turquoise water, and vibrant nightlife.

The spectacular Banaue Rice Terraces, carved from mountain ranges about 2,000 years ago by Ifugao tribes, are still used by locals to cultivate rice and vegetables. These verdant green terraces reaching to the sky illustrate the long history and exciting tourism appeal of the Philippines today.

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