Agree that the country should focus on manufacturing and agriculture.

Foreign Traders to Form FGDs for Economic Recovery

Manila Times
Sept 4, 2009
by Ben Arnold O. de Veyra

THE Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) said it would organize focus group discussions (FGDs) to prepare the sectors belonging to its so-called seven big winners for the upturn of the global economy.

In a briefing on Thursday, Henry Schumacher, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) executive vice president, said the JFC would invite experts to facilitate FGDs “to know where these sectors are right now, and where do they want to go.”


These FGDs will be conducted on September 15 to October 15, he said.
Earlier, the JFC cited seven sectors that will boost the country’s growth, namely agri-business; creative industries; information technology, business process outsourcing and knowledge process outsourcing; health and wellness, medical tourism, and retirement; infrastructure; manufacturing; and mining.

“If we are moving into a better future, then it is a very good time to move. We hope the government and the private sector can join forces and partner to move these sectors,” Schumacher said.


He said the Philippines remains relatively resilient, and its major export markets, such as the US, Europe and Japan, are already showing signs of improvement.


“Exporters are now seeing that buyers have exhausted their inventory and are looking at placing orders,” he said.


Chris Ward of the Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines said exporters should also tap the resilient domestic economy.