BusinessWorld forum to uncover next drivers of Philippines growth

MANILA, Philippines — This year’s BusinessWorld Economic Forum, an award-winning premier business event from the Philippines’ leading business newspaper and multimedia content provider, will be held at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on May 22.

The questions – “If unhindered by global economic headwinds, how much further would the Philippines be in its journey towards inclusive progress and prosperity? What drives the country’s resilience against challenges? Perhaps more significantly, what can we as a nation do now to ensure that we achieve such a future regardless of circumstances?” – are at the core of what will be explored in the forum.

This year’s forum, titled “PH Next: Growth Drivers,” will bring together policymakers, industry leaders and top executives to explore the Philippines’ emerging opportunities and key drivers of economic progress.

Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, head of the
National Economic and Development Authority, will kickstart the forum by delivering a speech on the “Imperatives for Sustaining Philippines’ Economic Growth,” aiming to shed light on the crucial factors needed to maintain the country’s current economic momentum.

Lance Gokongwei, president and chief executive officer of JG Summit Holdings Inc., will address “Boosting the Private Sector’s Share in Fueling Economic Growth” in his keynote speech, sharing his perspective on the role of private enterprises in driving the Philippine economy forward.

Central to the forum will be the panel discussions discussing the various opportunities for the Philippine economy.

The first panel on “Strengthening the Backbones of Nationwide Progress” will bring George Royeca, CEO of ride-hailing service Angkas to share his expertise in the transportation sector; while Rafa de Mesa, head of economic estates for Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., will share his insights on infrastructure development.

Meanwhile, Jesus Romero, senior executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Converge ICT Solutions, alongside Emmanuel Estrada, vice president for regulatory development and strategy at Globe, will provide their perspectives on the telecommunications landscape.

Grace Vera Cruz, country head of ride-hailing and online payments platform Grab Philippines; Jerry Ngo, CEO of EastWest Bank; Carlos Barrera, CEO of e-commerce platform Lazada Philippines, and Mitch Padua, group chief product officer of Maya, will share their thoughts on “Digital Economy: A Vital Engine for Future Growth.”

Complementing that will be the panel on “Safeguarding Digital Economic Growth through Security and Trust” with Ingrid Beroña, chief risk officer of mobile wallet platform GCash, sharing her insights on financial security; and Alexander Ramos, executive director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, who will address cybersecurity threats and government initiatives.

The forum will also feature a discussion on “Maximizing the Potentials of the Philippine Manufacturing Sector” with Maria Veronica Magsino, deputy director general for finance and administration of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, and Olivia Limpe Aw, president and CEO of Destileria Limtuaco and Co. Inc.

Finally, tackling the crucial issue of “Sustaining Economic Development through Sustainable Power – Navigating Adversities & Opportunities in the Power Sector” will be Francis Giles Puno, president and COO of First Gen Corp.; Raymond Ravelo, chief sustainability officer of Manila Electric Co.; lawyer Richard Nethercott, president and CEO of the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines, and Jaime Urquijo, chief sustainability and risk officer of Ayala Corp. and a board director of ACEN.

The day-long forum will be hosted by Danie Laurel, news anchor for Cignal TV. Moderating the panel discussions will be BusinessWorld editor-in-chief Cathy Rose Garcia, alongside BusinessWorld reporters Luisa Jocson and Justine Irish Tabile; BusinessWorld corporate editor Arjay L. Balinbin; and TV5 News anchor Jester delos Santos.

Interested attendees may register at https://registration.bworldonline.com/.