21 December 2015 - Business delegations from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are keen to expand two-way investments with the Philippines in various areas, including in agriculture, information and communications technology, education and tourism.
In separate courtesy calls on Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Laura Q. Del Rosario, the Bangladesh–Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BPCCI) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) based in Dhaka and the Sri Lanka-Philippine Business Council (SLPBC) based in Colombo expressed their desire for greater trade and investment ties with the Philippines.
The Bangladesh and Sri Lankan business delegations cited various opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration with the Philippines in trade and investments, particularly in agriculture, information and communications technology and tourism.
Undersecretary del Rosario welcomed the interest of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and stressed that the expressions of interests can be transformed into concrete outcomes.
The business delegations from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were in the Philippines to attend the 41st Philippine Business Conference and Exposition (PBC&E) held in Mariott Hotel, New Port City Complex, Pasay City last October 26 to 27.
The Sri Lanka-Philippine Business Council (SLPBC) was headed by Honorable Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Trade and Commerce of Sri Lanka. Philippine Honorary Consul to Colombo Hugh Sriyal Dissanayake accompanied the delegation.
The Bangladesh delegation was comprised of members from the Bangladesh –Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BPCCI) and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
Philippine Ambassador to Dhaka, Bangladesh (with concurrent jurisdiction over Sri Lanka), Vicente Vivencio T. Bandillo, and Philippine Trade Counsellor to New Delhi, Mr. Michael Ignacio, accompanied the delegates to the PBC&E event and other business meetings. END