13 November 2015 –Philippine Ambassador to Australia Belen F. Anota, Consul General Anne Jalando-on Louis, and Consul Marford Angeles joined the officers and members of the Australia-Philippines Business Council (APBC) and around a hundred guests in celebrating APBC’s 40th anniversary at a reception held at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney last October 29.
The guest speakers at the event were Ambassador Anota, New South Wales Minister for Trade and Tourism Stuart Ayres, and MVP Group of Companies Media Bureau Head Atty. Michael Toledo.
In her speech, Ambassador Anota congratulated the officers and members of the APBC led by its President, Mr. Eduard Alcordo. She also highlighted the key role played by APBC as a partner of the Philippine Embassy and Consulate in promoting the Philippines as an investment and tourism destination. She likewise noted the support of APBC for Philippine business and official delegations visiting Australia, including arranging meetings and hosting of various events.
Representing the Premier of New South Wales, Honorable Mike Baird, Minister Ayres conveyed the congratulations of the state government to APBC on its 40th anniversary. He spoke of the priorities and future thrusts of the NSW Government, including enhancing engagement and developing closer relations with trading partners. He also emphasized the importance of people-to-people contact as a driver for closer trade and investment ties and noted the importance of institutions such as the APBC in this regard.
Atty. Toledo, who flew in from Manila to represent Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan, highlighted the tremendous opportunities for Australian businesses to invest in the Philippines. He related his experience in discussing these opportunities with Australian private sector representatives when he was a member of the Philippine business delegation that accompanied President Benigno S. Aquino III during the State Visit to Australia in October 2012. He noted the significant Australian investments that have been made in the Philippines’ priority sectors, such as business process outsourcing, energy and mining, among others, and looked forward to more Australian companies doing business in the Philippines, especially with the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community.
Australia-Philippines Business Council (APBC) President Eduard Alcordo thanked the Council’s network of more than 50 organizations, ranging from SMEs to high-profile companies in Australia and the Philippines, for their support for the APBC. He also encouraged the guests, comprising representatives from several Australian companies and institutions, to become members of the APBC and to maximise business potential between the Philippine and Australian business communities.
On the occasion, Consul General Louis conveyed her thanks to Mr. Alcordo for APBC’s continued partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Sydney in holding a quarterly “Doing Business with the Philippines” event, and looked forward to future collaborations with the APBC to bolster bilateral trade, investment and tourism. END