Philippines embarks on trade, investment mission to Portugal

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines recently participated in a business forum to raise awareness in the Portuguese business sector of the business and economic opportunities offered by the country and other Asean members and convince them of the benefits and potentials of doing business in the region.

Philippine Ambassador to Portugal Philippe J. Lhuillier recently participated in a business forum co-organized by the Asean Committee of Lisbon Portugal (ACLP) and Portuguese consultancy firm Sociedade Portuguesa Inovação (SPI) in Porto, in the northern region of Portugal.

The business forum, attended by around 20 representatives of companies based in northern Portugal, was an initiative of the current ACLP chair, Amb. Mulya Wirana of Indonesia.

The forum featured a presentation on the Asean Economic Community followed by country presentations on the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

The ACLP is comprised of the embassies of Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, the only three Asean countries that have resident embassies in Portugal. Recognizing a need to raise the profile of Asean within Portugal, the three embassies agreed to establish the ACLP to enhance and complement the embassies’ respective efforts towards advancing the interests of Asean and provide a formal platform and mechanism by which Asean can be promoted within Portugal.

The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon will take over as chair of the ACLP on January 2016.