PH Ambassador Meets Israel’s Chief Economist

Philippine Ambassador to Israel Macairog Alberto and Israel’s Chief Economist Shira Greenberg discuss developments in the proposed bilateral agreement on the promotion and protection of investments. (Tel Aviv PE photo)

TEL AVIV, 01 December 2021 — Philippine Ambassador to the State of Israel Macairog S. Alberto met with Israel’s Chief Economist Ms. Shira Greenberg on 22 November 2021. The meeting was held at the sideline of discussions that took place on the same day between the Ministry of Finance and their Philippine counterparts on a possible bilateral agreement for investment protection and promotion.

Chief Economist Greenberg expressed optimism about post-pandemic Philippine-Israel bilateral trade and investment cooperation. “Trade between our countries grew by 35% in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A bilateral agreement on investment promotion and protection will improve certainty in doing business between our countries and increase bilateral investment flows,” Ms. Greenberg said.

Ambassador Alberto shared that Philippine Airlines plans to launch direct flights between Manila and Tel Aviv next year. ”The flights, which are projected to start in April 2022, will complement an agreement in investment promotion and protection,” he noted. “Israeli investors will find that the Philippines is a prime location, being a gateway to markets in surrounding countries in the Asian region.”

The Philippines and Israel hope to conclude a bilateral agreement on investment promotion and protection in the first quarter of 2022. END

Ambassador Alberto share with Chief Economist Greenberg a coffee table book about the Philippine Army and how defense equipment from Israel helped in its modernization. (Tel Aviv PE photo)

For more information, visit https://www.telavivpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.org.il or https://www.facebook.com/PHinIsrael/.