Speaker bullish on foreign investments surge

MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Martin Romualdez is optimistic that more foreign investments would come into the Philippines following the productive engagements of the Philippine delegation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland.

“We are grateful to President Marcos for sending a delegation that has showcased the many reasons why global investors should choose the Philippines,” said the Leyte first district congressman, a member of the country’s delegation in Davos.

“The reception has been overwhelmingly positive, and I am confident that this will translate to more investments that will fuel our economic growth. The discussions reaffirm the immense potential of the Philippines as a key destination for global investments,” he added.

The leader of the House of Representatives recalled that he had a chance meeting with a top tycoon in India in WEF 2024, who was one of the featured panelists in a discussion, where he said this developed into a fruitful partnership with a local business.

“I invited him to the Philippines, and he liked what he saw. And in fact, had it not been for the WEF, he would never have realized that the Philippines was open and welcoming to business from India,” Romualdez said.

The Speaker participated in high-level discussions and engaged with prominent global business leaders.

One of the highlights was his participation as a panelist in the Stakeholder Dialogue titled “Navigating Asia’s Hotspots,” where he emphasized the country’s balanced geopolitical approach and commitment to economic stability.

“We presented a clear narrative of the Philippines as a reliable partner in the Indo-Pacific region, not only geopolitically but also economically. Our focus is on fostering peace, stability, and cooperation, which are vital for sustained growth,” Romualdez remarked.

The Speaker and the Philippine delegation also hosted the Philippine Breakfast Interaction at WEF which convened close to 50 international public and private sector leaders for a briefing on the Philippine economy and its bright potential as the next big investment destination.

Among the notable guests during the event were Marcus Wallenberg, chairman of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken; Philippe Amon, chairman and CEO of SICPA SA; Catarina Amon, CEO and founder of Classeek; Anthony Tan, CEO and co-founder of Grab; John Riady, Group CEO of Lippo Indonesia; Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia; and Calvin Choi, CEO of AMTD.

Also present were Jay Collins, vice chairman of Citi; Helena Lersch, vice president of public policy of TikTok; Amit Kalyani, vice-chairman and joint managing director of Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited; and Albert Chang, managing partner of Southeast Asia, McKinsey & Co., among others.

During the discussions, the Philippine delegation showcased the Philippines’ robust domestic economy driven by e-commerce, making the country the fastest-growing digital economy in ASEAN in 2024.

“Our interactions with these business leaders further underscored the attractiveness of the Philippines for trade and investment. They recognized the strategic advantages of our country, including its location, young workforce, and robust economy,” Romualdez said.