By Gabriela Baron
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. departed for Davos, Switzerland on Sunday, Jan. 15, to attract more investments at the World Economic Forum (WEF).
“The World Economic Forum is hosting a Country Strategy Dialogue for us where we are given the opportunity to promote the Philippines as leader and driver of growth and a gateway to the Asia-Pacific region — one that is open for business — ever ready to complement regional and global expansion plans of both foreign and Philippine-based enterprises anchored on the competent and well-educated Filipino workers, the managers, and the professional,” Marcos said in his departure speech in Villamor Air Base.
The President said he is also eyeing partners who will back his administration’s plan to build more infrastructure and ensure food and energy security during the WEF.
“I will draw attention to our efforts at building resilient infrastructure that bolsters our effort to reinforce robust and resilient supply chains, ensures food security, including critical interlinkages with the
health and nutrition sectors, while furthering climate-friendly, clean, and green energy to power the Philippine economy,” Marcos said.
Moreover, I will share our experience as a model for managing – with our global partners – the disruptive and transformative impact of COVID,” he added.
Marcos said he is looking forward to meeting with various government and business leaders and the WEF and strengthening ties with them, as well as exchanging views on pressing issues with policymakers, business executives, and entrepreneurs.
The Chief Executive was invited by Prof. Klaus Schwab, the founder and Chair Emeritus of the WEF, at the sidelines of both the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Bangkok, Thailand, respectively in November last year.
This year’s WEF is the forum’s first in-person gathering since 2020.
