German business group seeks activities to promote Phl-Germany trade relations

MANILA, Philippines - The German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) is undertaking activities next year aimed at further strengthening the trade and investment relations of the two countries.

In a statement, GPCCI president Bodo Goerlich said following activities conducted this year, the group intends to continue activities to promote trade and investments between Germany and the Philippines.

“We are very happy to conclude 2014 on a positive note after achieving some milestones foremost of which is the successful facilitation of the state visit of President Benigno Aquino III to Germany last September, the first in 20 years after the visit of former President Fidel Ramos,” he said.

“The state visit was a very good sign of improvement of the diplomatic ties between Germany and the Philippines. We at the Chamber are very happy to have played a key role in this significant event,” he added.

The prior visit of Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo to Germany, which involved meetings with German businesses, was also seen to have helped in promoting the countries’ trade and investment relations.

For next year, Goerlich said the Chamber’s activities to further enhance the two countries’ trade and investment links will begin with the hosting in January of the meeting of the executive directors of the German Chamber Network in Asia.

The meeting will focus on the enhanced cooperation between and among the German chambers abroad and their plan to further increase trade in the region in time for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) economic integration by the end of 2015.

The Asean economic integration aims to create a region with free flow of goods, services, skilled labor, investments and capital.

Goerlich said the Chamber will also have strong participation in the Philippines’ hosting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit next year by encouraging leaders to explore trade opportunities within the 21-member economies.

He said GPCCI will likewise play a significant role in the implementation of the dual technical vocational training in the Philippine education system next year.

GPCCI’s own dual training program, which is patterned after Germany’s model, establishes cooperation between German companies and Philippine schools and training institutions to provide skills training and expertise to Filipino students that are critical to the needs of German and Philippine companies.

GPCCI which has served as an important partner of German companies with operations here, Goerlich added, will continue to promote the Philippines an investment destination particularly for manufacturing, given the availability of suitable business locations, low labor cost and the highly educated and competitive Filipino workforce who speak good English.

“The GPCCI is happy to be part of the growth of German investments in the Philippines and we hope to continue to promote the Philippines in Germany not as a country with frequent harsh typhoons and calamities but an excellent trade and investments destination,” he said.