House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez and Finance Secretary Ralph Recto are leading the Philippine delegation attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland from Jan. 20 to 24, 2025.
The four-day event will highlight the country’s economic progress under the Marcos administration.
Recto said the delegation also seeks to secure more investments that would drive inclusive economic growth in the Philippines.
Under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” the 2025 WEF meeting will convene nearly 3,000 global leaders including heads of state, government officials, top business executives and influential figures from international organizations across 130 nations. The forum aims to spark dialogue, build trust and drive sustainable solutions to critical global challenges.
Recto said he would take the opportunity to actively engage with international partners to bring home more investments to develop the Philippines’ high-impact industries, improve the logistics backbone, strengthen the workforce and expand artificial intelligence (AI) and financial inclusion initiatives.
These investments are aimed at creating more jobs for Filipinos, increase their incomes and reduce poverty to ensure meaningful and inclusive economic progress for the country, he said.
Joining Romualdez and Recto are Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, Ambassador and Philippine Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Manuel Antonio Teehankee as they host an economic briefing for global investors at the Philippine Breakfast Interaction.
“This year’s WEF presents a unique platform to showcase the Philippines as a dynamic and resilient economy, driven by innovation and inclusivity. Our participation underscores our commitment to strengthening international partnerships that uplift Philippine industries to thrive in the global marketplace,” said Trade Secretary Cristina Roque.
The event will showcase the country’s promising potential as the next big investment destination, especially with the recent enactment of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy (CREATE MORE) Act.
Recto is scheduled to hold one-on-one meetings with top global companies, including banks, manufacturers and technology companies to discuss possible investment and expansion opportunities.
Among the private sector representatives attending the meeting are Gcash president and CEO Martha Sazon, LT Group Inc. president Lucio Tan III, Asia Brewery Inc. president Michael Tan, Grab Philippines chief corporate officer Sherielysse Bonifacio and Benguet Corp. director Maria Remedios Romualdez-Pompidou.