18 September 2013 – Philippine Consul General Mario De Leon, Jr. conducted an economic diplomacy visit to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from September 03 to 04 to promote more vibrant economic relations between the Philippines and the State of Pennsylvania (PA).
Consul General De Leon met with Lt. Governor Jim Cawley and Deputy Secretary Wilfred Muskens who heads the International Business Office of Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) of Pennsylvania. He briefed the two officials on the remarkable growth of the Philippine economy, now the fastest in Southeast Asia.
“There are many investment and trade opportunities for Pennsylvania-based companies in the Philippines, especially in growth industries of tourism, infrastructure, agribusiness, business and knowledge processing, mining, entertainment, manufacturing, and real estate,” the Consul General said during the meeting.
According to the Consul General, there are at least 10 large companies in Pennsylvania that either have major investments or market presence in the Philippines. P.H. Glatfelter, a pulp and paper company based in York, PA, has a processing plant in Lanao Del Norte. Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries, a coatings and specialty products and services company, has a manufacturing plant in Laguna. II-VI Incorporated of Saxonburg, PA, has a subsidiary in Cavite known as Pacific Rare Specialty Metals& Chemicals, Inc.
Lt. Governor Cawley remarked that the Philippines’ growth was “extraordinary” and that he could see “wonderful opportunities” to expand economic relations between the Philippines and Pennsylvania. He was pleased to learn the names of Pennsylvania-based companies doing business in the Philippines. He advised Consul General De Leon to also look into the energy companies based in Pittsburgh which could be encouraged to invest in energy projects in PH.
DCED, according to Mr. Muskens, would inform companies in Pennsylvania about the trade opportunities in the Philippines and offered to connect the Philippine Consulate General in New York to the companies in Pittsburgh.
Consul General De Leon also addressed the 17-members of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian American Affairs who were having their quarterly meeting in Harrisburg. He met Representative Patty Kim of the 103rd Legislative District, the only Asian-American representative at the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, who also spoke at the meeting. Consul General De Leon was the first Consul General to address the Commission.
The Consul General also spoke with Mr. David Black, President and CEO of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber, to establish connection with private sector companies in Harrisburg.
In addition to his business meetings, the Consul General took time to meet with the members of the Filipino-American community in Central Pennsylvania.
“The visit to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania, is part of the Consulate General’s aggressive economic diplomacy program. Two-way trade between the Philippines and Pennsylvania was about $491M at the end of 2012, in the Philippines’ favor. I believe that there is a big room for growth in our trade relations. We also want companies here to consider investing more in PH now that we are growing at a fast rate,” Consul General explained.
The other members of Consul General De Leon’s delegation in Harrisburg were; Consul Zaldy Patron; Filipina American Jackie Parker, Executive Director, Chester Economic Development Authority (CEDA) and former mayor of Lebanon, Pennsylvania; Mr. Brad Baldia, President, Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey; Dr. Aida Rivera, State Chair, National Federation of Filipino American Associations of Pennsylvania; Mr. Ross Shiraki, President, Philippine American Association of Central Pennsylvania; and Dr. Estela Prudencio. END