MANILA, Philippines – Foreign businessmen who have nothing good to say about the country should just help the government instead of magnifying local issues, a local business leader said.

“I always believe that let the Filipinos talks about the country. Foreigners don’t have to make the issues bigger,” International Chamber of Commerce Philippines chairman Francis Chua told The STAR.

“We welcome foreigners when they try to help our country. Those who do not believe too much in our country, it will be better if they just leave it to our government and our President to do their job. Mahirap yun e, hindi naman tayo nakikialam sa kanila, bakit sila makikialam sa atin? (It’s hard because we are not meddling with their affairs, so why should they meddle with ours?),” he added.

Last week, members of the Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) of the Philippines expressed concern over reports high-ranking police were behind the kidnap-slay of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo at police headquarters in Camp Crame last October.

For the JFC, the incident has made them start to doubt the ability of local authorities in ensuring their safety, as well as those of local businessmen and residents at large in the Philippines.

With their peace and order and safety guaranteed by the authorities, the group said the “kidnapping and brutal killing of Jee Ick-joo puts these expected guarantees in question.”

While local businessmen also condemn the killing, Chua said it should not lead the business community to lose faith in the government.

“We should not worry too much about it. We should worry if the government does not do anything and tolerate it. The main fact that the government is doing something about it, that means to say our government is working,” he said.

“If the government closes an eye and turn away, then we should be very worried. The main fact the government is solving the issue that means to say we should believe in the government because they are not lying,” Chua added.

Outside of the recent Department of Environment and Natural Resources order for the closure of nearly two dozen mining firms in the country which spooked some international firms, Chua said the Philippine business environment has been generally getting positive feedbacks from foreign investors.

“Actually, we have so many positive feedbacks,” he said, noting that a group of Chinese investors are bound to visit the country later this month to explore business opportunities in the Philippines.

Source: http://www.philstar.com/business/2017/02/15/1672288/foreign-businessmen-urged-support-philippine-government