VLADIVOSTOK, Russia – Philippine Ambassador to Russia Alejandro Mosquera expressed optimism that more Russian businessmen will invest in the Philippines, particularly in the areas of mining and energy.
“We need a lot of things to do. We’d like to close a little bit the gap between our trade balance,” Mosquera said.
“We would like to invite our Russian friends to look into our extractive industry like mining, energy, oil and gas, infrastructure, and tourism,” he said.
Mosquera said Russia has a “very extensive experience in the extraction industry.”
“They have the technology in mining and in the extraction of oil and gas,” he noted.
Mosquera also said there are a lot of potential in tapping Russian investors in the area of infrastructure.
“We would like them also to come and look for opportunities in our PPP (Public-Private Partnership) projects,” he said.
“We have started talking to the Russian counterparts, both possible agreement in the area of labor and readmission,” he added.
Aside from investors, the Philippines is looking at more Russian tourists to the Philippines to further boost the country’s tourism sector and meet meet the Aquino administration’s target of 10 million tourists by 2016.
Mosquera said there were 21,000 Russians who visited the country last year compared to four or five years ago when there were only about 4,000 Russians who visited the Philippines.
He added that Russians who visit the Philippines are usually families who stay in the country for at least 14 days.
“Many of the Russians in the last few years have come to the Philippines for tourism purpose,” Mosquera said, noting that favorite tourist spots among the Russians are Boracay, Palawan, Bohol and Camarines Sur.
“We understand that winter in Russia is quite harsh and quite long. We would like to see more Russians coming (to the Philippines),” Mosquera said.
According to Mosquera, a direct flight is being arranged from Vladivostok to Manila to cater more Russian tourists.
He likewise said a tour operator is currently arranging tour packages for Russians in Boracay.
He said Vladivostok is Russia’s gateway to the Asia-Pacific. A direct flight to Manila from Vladivostok only takes about five hours.
Vladivostok is the site for the 20th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit from September 2 to 9, 2012.
President Benigno S. Aquino III will be attending the APEC Leaders’ meeting from September 8 to 9, 2012.
Mosquera said the Philippines’ participation to the APEC Summit is significant as it is a premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, and innovative growth.
The 21 APEC member economies comprise 40 percent of the world’s population, 44 percent of the world trade, and 54 percent of the world’s GDP or gross domestic product.
“Definitely, the Philippines will benefit from its annual participation in the APEC considering these figures,” Mosquera said.
In the area of exports, Mosquera said a group of Filipino exporters will be coming here in Vladivostok in mid-September to promote Philippine fruits for export such as bananas and mangoes.
“This initiative comes from Cebu and this has been done through the efforts of the Russian Honorary Consul in Cebu, Armi Lopez Garcia,” Mosquera said.
He said other potential exports from the Philippines include furniture, marine products, and fashion items.
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Source: Madel R. Sabater, Manila Bulletin. (6 September 2012)
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