PHL Trade Delegation Meets with Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry

28 November 2017 ABU DHABI – His Excellency Constancio R. Vingno, Jr., Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, together with head of delegation Hon. Datu HJ Abul Khayr D. Alonto, Chairman of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), led the Philippine Trade delegation for a business matching meeting on November 07 at the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) building.

The meeting was part of the Department of Trade and Industry – Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB) Outbound Business Matching Mission (OBMM) to the UAE and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to promote halal certified Philippine food and, health and wellness products.

In his welcome remarks His Excellency Abdullah Ghurair Al Qubaisi, Deputy Director General, ADCCI, said that the Chamber aims to help boost the Philippines-UAE trade relations through cooperation and in finding needed mechanisms that will help private sectors benefit from incentives available in both countries. He emphasized on the importance of expanding cooperation and strengthening commercial reciprocation between the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Philippines.

Ambassador Vingno in his speech said that the Philippine exports to the UAE from 2012 to 2016 have been growing at an annual average of 8.89 per cent. For the first 7-month of 2017, Philippine exports to the UAE stood at more than US$ 400 million, an increase of 160 per cent from the previous figure of US$ 153 million exported during the same period last year.

The Ambassador encouraged the Abu Dhabi business community to look closer and connect with the Philippine trade delegation who are in the UAE to explore additional areas of collaboration.

In his keynote address, Chairman Alonto said that under the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, a Mindanao strategy for development and transformation is not only initiated but is currently put in motion. He highlighted the Mindanao Development Corridors (MDC) which seeks to harness economic strengths of identified growth corridors, where commodity or product-specific and area-based investments are accordingly matched with required infrastructure, logistics and enabling policy environment. Further, MinDA, as a member of the Philippine Halal Export Board, is positioning Mindanao to be the Halal production hub of the Philippines.

Eleven (11) Philippine companies participated in the business matching meeting with the ADCCI: Bantré Trading FZE, Bios Dynamis, Chemrez Technologies Inc., Frontrow International Enterprises, I-Fern Corporation, La Carlota, LBC, LTH Food Industries, Nattural Quality Corp., Pixcel Transglobal Foods, Inc. and REBISCO who met with the Abu Dhabi business community representatives.

The Philippine delegation was accompanied by Mr. Anthony B. Rivera, Assistant Director, DTI-EMB; Ms. Myrtle Faye L. Solina, Trade and Industry Development Specialist, DTI-EMB, Mr. Eric C. Elnar, Commercial Attaché, Philippine Trade and Investment Centre (PTIC) - Dubai; Ms. Ruby Lynn N. Suarez, Trade Assistant, PTIC-Dubai; Mr. Bugshan A. Tendegaranao, PTIC - Dubai; Ms. Bai Norhata M. Alonto, Spouse of Chairman Alonto; Mr. Amhed Jeoffrey J. Datukan, Development Management Officer, MinDA; and Mr. Abu-El Kheir Berua D. Alonto III, Executive Assistant, MinDA. The meeting was also joined by Ms. Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Third Secretary and Vice Consul and Ms. Meradel April E. Reyes-Auman, Political and Economic Assistant and Attaché. END

For more information, visit www.abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph or www.facebook.com/PHinUAE.