Government backs German-RP Chamber of Commerce

MANILA, Philippines - The government has expressed its strong support to the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce, Inc.’s (GPCCI) bid for recognition as it plays an active role as partner of the Philippine Embassy in Germany in promoting deeper and broader Philippine-German business ties.

In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Consul Julius Caesar Flores, the embassy’s officer-in-charge, said the German-Philippine business officials’ visit to Berlin recently served to boost Philippine-German economic relations.

GPCCI officials visited Berlin and met with officials of the German parliament, the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce Congress (DIHK), the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the Federal Foreign Office, the Federation of German Industries (BDI), Federation of German Wholesale and Foreign Trade (BGA), and other government officials and representatives from the private sector.

The embassy welcomed GPCCI officers Klaus Schröder, Bernhard Krüger-Sprengel, and Claus Sudhoff and discussed with them their objective of gaining official recognition and support as the chamber of commerce and industry abroad advancing German interests in the Philippines.

Organized in February 2008, GPCCI has initiated a series of business promotion activities in the Philippines. It has drawn up its organizational requirements including the setting up of a functioning office and the expansion of its membership to encompass important companies and key personalities in Philippine-German business and political circles.

The visiting GPCCI officials, at a breakfast meeting organized by the embassy, indicated the positive signals and sympathetic ear they received in their meetings with the representatives of the public and private sectors in Berlin.

The embassy expressed its best wishes for GPCCI’s success in its endeavors and assured it of its full support and cooperation toward strengthening Philippine-German business relations and invigorating bilateral trade and investment. – Pia Lee-Brago