SUPPORT FOR FILIPINO SMEs AND START-UPS EYED

17 January 2017 — Philippine Consul General to New York Theresa Dizon-de Vega met with New York Economic Development Corporation (EDC) President and CEO Maria Torres-Springer at the EDC Headquarters in New York City on January 13 to find ways to support Filipino and Filipino-American small businesses and start-ups. 

Consul General de Vega called on Ms. Torres-Springer as part of efforts to establish stronger linkages with New York Government offices and to convey the different initiatives of the Consulate for the Filipino-American Community.  Consul General Dizon-de Vega aims to further invigorate business relations with New York.

Ms. Torres-Springer is among the high-profile Filipino-American appointees of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. She is the first female head of the EDC with degrees from Yale and Harvard Universities.

Consul General de Vega noted the increased interest in entrepreneurship among Filipinos and Filipino-Americans, particularly in the culinary and food industry in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She likewise mentioned the need to encourage more Filipinos to look at the technology and knowledge-based industries such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) as possible entry points for building businesses in New York.

Consul General de Vega said however, that the Consulate General would like to actively partner with New York agencies such as the EDC to ensure that Filipino-American entrepreneurs are equipped with updated information in doing business in New York as well as to help them make use of available resources to launch or grow their businesses.

Ms. Torres-Springer relayed that the EDC has the mandate to assist and guide entrepreneurs and businesses, including small businesses and economically empowering underserved sectors to encourage greater economic activity.

She said that their services and support cuts across industries and involves assisting in permits, training, negotiating the business system, and securing financing.

Both women exchanged notes on latest trends in entrepreneurship with Consul General De Vega conveying that Filipino Human Trafficking victims in New York and New Jersey have turned to entrepreneurship to rebuild their lives.

Consul General De Vega likewise provided Ms. Torres-Springer with updates on the latest economic developments in the Philippines including projected continued robust growth in 2017 as well as the Philippine Government’s investment in infrastructure development.

Consul General De Vega conveyed the Consulate’s invitation to the EDC to serve as resource persons for future seminars on entrepreneurship at the Consulate General in 2017. 

The Consulate General continues to undertake collaboration and engagement with the New York City Government to identify local resources for micro, small and medium enterprises, including Filipino-American businesses as well as to encourage greater activity through inbound and outbound Philippine trade and investment missions. END