20 January 2016 – Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Jose D. R. Burgos made an official visit to the City of Imperatriz and the City of Governor Edison Lobao, both in the State of Maranhão from January 11 to 14. The visit was upon the invitation of Mayor Sebastião Torres Madeira of the City of Imperatriz. The Ambassador was accompanied by his spouse, Dra. Blesilda M. Burgos, Administrative Officer Helena D. Tan and Interpreter/Translator  Leila Carreira.

The main purpose of the visit was to explore business opportunities for Philippine products and services in Brazil and to promote the Philippines as a source of materials for Brazilian production in the Maranhão region.

The visit included a meeting with the Mayor and the members of the Business Chamber of the City of Imperatriz, and a meeting with the Mayor and officials of the City of Governor Edison Lobao.

The Ambassador and his party also visited the Suzano Paper e Celulose, (a Paper Factory that is currently exporting paper and pulp products to the Philippines) in Imperatriz, and a leather factory and some fisheries farms in the City of Governor Edison Lobao. The Philippine delegation also visited an orphanage, being a special social project of the Mayor of Imperatriz. The delegation was also treated to a cultural presentation of a typical Brazilian folk dance in Governor Edison Lobao City.

In turn, the Philippine delegation gave a video presentation on the Philippines – highlighting its transformation into a member of Asia’s Newly Industrialized Countries and projecting the many reasons why the audience should invest and visit the Philippines. Investment kits and tourism brochures were distributed. The delegation brought dried mangoes and mango rum for the officials and businessmen to taste – eliciting highly positive feedback.

In the several meetings, Ambassador Burgos emphasized the importance of this visit as it provided an opportunity to engage the concerned authorities in Maranhão in a fruitful discussion  on matters of mutual interests and benefits, particularly the possible employment in Brazil of  Filipinos in the fields of ICT and hotel management business, the tapping of a source of cheap leather for the thriving shoe industry in the Philippines, and the possible exchange of training for Brazilians in IRRI on the different high-yield varieties and methods of rice production. The Philippine Ambassador expressed the hope that this visit would pave the way for enhanced trade cooperation between the Philippines and Brazil (through the City of Imperatriz and the City of  Governor Edison Lobao in the  State of Maranhão). 

Both the Mayors of Imperatriz and of Governor Edison Lobao  welcomed the proposals and indicated readiness to start a trade mission to the Philippines.  Mayor Sebastian Madeira of the City of Imperatriz, in his welcome remarks, said that Imperatriz  is a city for business with a knack for making things happen. He noted that Ambassador Burgos was the third Ambassador (after those of India and Trinidad and Tobago)  to visit the city with the objective of exploring trade opportunities  in the region. Mayor  Evando Viana of the City of Governor Edison Lobao, on the other hand, expressed interest in launching trade cooperation and the possible identification of investment opportunities for his city. END