The Philippines continues to attract attention from Danish companies, Denmark ambassador to Manila Jan Top Christensen said on Saturday.
Citing a vibrant diplomatic relationship since it reopened its embassy in Manila four years ago, Christensen said that there is already rich potential for greater economic engagement between the two countries.
“The Philippines continues to attract attention from Danish companies. They are certainly interested in doing business in the Philippines,” the envoy said during the celebration of Denmark’s Constitutional Day in Taguig this week.
The envoy said that from 2013 to 2017, Denmark’s export of goods to the Philippines rose by 82 percent, which it said is a good indication of a vibrant economic relationship between the two countries.
The increase in trade is due to the preferential trade status, or GSP+, granted by the EU, where Philippine manufacturers are given preferential opportunity to sell more products tariff-free to the European market including Denmark.
In 2017, the Danish embassy reported that more than 25 percent of Philippines goods went to the EU market.
“European companies are playing an important role in the Philippine economy,” Christensen said.
He added that due to the recent ease of Doing Business Act, which was approved by the Congress in March, more Danish companies are looking into the possibility of doing business in the Philippines.
“With the recent ease of Doing Business Act, the Philippine market will become even more interesting for foreign companies,” he said.
The approved “The Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018” will relax rules that will govern the conduct of business transactions in the country.
The measure seeks to amend Republic Act 9485, otherwise known as the “Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.”
The consolidated bill covers business-related transactions (and other transactions specified by the Act) on all government offices and agencies including local government units, government-owned or controlled corporations and other government instrumentalities, whether located in the Philippines or abroad.
“Things are changing in the Philippines. We view favorably a number of actions taken by the Duterte government,” the envoy said.
He cited recent administration policies such as the President’s executive order on freedom of information, the fight against high level of corruption, the executive order on reproductive health, poverty alleviation, and the country’s huge infrastructure “Build, Build, Build” program.
“Time has clearly shown that it was the right decision to return to the Philippines,” he said.
“Today, we are very busy helping Danish companies engaging with both private and public sectors in the Philippines,” Christensen added.
In 2016, there were 16 companies from Denmark established their presence in the Philippines to explore investment opportunities in port management, seafood processing, and trade.
The Philippines and Denmark established diplomatic relations in 1946.
In 2016, the two countries 70 years of strong and continuous cooperation.
Denmark’s focus has been on trade, and over the years many Danish companies and products have found their way to the Philippines.
Currently, the Philippines and Denmark are partners in development, shipping, cultural exchanges, health technology, corporate responsibility, education and most of all, in labor, social services, and trade.
In January 2015, the Embassy of Denmark in Manila re-opened thirteen years after it closed.
Christensen said the Embassy affirms the potential for expanding cooperation and trade between the two countries.
Both countries have exchanged a number of delegations and missions to further develop more areas of cooperation.
But even before that, there were already a number of well-known Danish companies which have made their way to the Philippines, such as Maersk, Lindberg AS and Sonion.
In March this year, there are two important delegations from Demark which had visited the Philippines.
Christensen said that the delegation from Denmark Foreign Policy Committee met with interesting interculators where both countries tackled different issues in the Philippines.