spot_img
27.5 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

Duterte, tycoons agree to boost economic growth

- Advertisement -

President Rodrigo Duterte hosted a dinner with top businessmen Tuesday night and secured their commitment to invest in poorest areas in the country.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said the business leaders showed their support for the improvement of poverty-stricken and conflict-afflicted areas during the three-hour meeting organized by presidential adviser on entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion.

Duterte held the dinner to clear out the “wrong perception” of the business community against him and presented his plans to sustain the growth of the economy and fight illegal drugs in the country.  The president also discussed issues such as “federalism, contractualization, job creation and tax reforms,” Abella said.

President Duterte (center) meets with top businessmen in the country at the President’s Hall in Malacañang Palace. Duterte encouraged them to follow business practices that will help improve the lives of the Filipinos. Ace Morandante

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez sat beside the president during the meeting.

The Metro Pacific Group said it planned  to pour investments in Mindanao as a part of its commitment to help the Duterte administration.

- Advertisement -

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. chairman Manuel Pangilinan, International Container Terminal Services Inc. chairman Enrique Razon, Ayala Corp. chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, SM Prime Holdings Corp. chairman Hans Sy, Aboitiz Equity Ventures president Erramon Aboitiz, LT Group president Michael Tan and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president George Barcelon attended the dinner.

“It was an excellent occasion to see the president up close and personal and I thought it was a very productive meeting,” Pangilinan said.

BUSINESS BIGWIGS. President Duterte and top businessmen nationwide in a photo opportunity following a meeting at the President’s Hall in Malacañang Tuesday, where the President encouraged them to follow business practices that would help in uplifting the Filipinos’ lives.

“It was good for the private sector to communicate with the president what our concerns are, and what we can do to help government’s efforts particularly in terms of the poorest areas of the country,” he said.

Pangilinan said there were discussions about Sulu province and certain areas in Mindanao where the private sector could help.   He said his company planned to build hospitals, roll out telecom services, put up housing in partnership with Gawad Kalinga and establish a coconut oil mill in Sulu.

“It’s  [Sulu] an island that has lots of coconuts,” he said.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles