This was the key message last August 18 by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary for Industry Development and Trade Policy Ceferino S. Rodolfo when he addressed the Philippines’ and Turkey’s top bilateral diplomats, high-level economic officials and key business practitioners who were gathered by the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK), the Philippine Embassy in Ankara (PE Ankara) and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Paris (PTIC Paris) for a digital discussion before the Turkish business community, on OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE PHILIPPINES to reignite cooperation specifically in trade and investments.
In encouraging the business community to take a more active stance in collaborating on business projects especially as both countries rebuild their resilient economies in the light of the impact of the covid-19 pandemic, Undersecretary Rodolfo mentioned that government will continue to take its role in providing the right policy framework.
In opening the event, DEIK President Mr. Nail Olpak highlighted the importance of the Philippines as a strategic area for engagement for Turkey especially in the dynamic Southeast Asian, and Asia-Pacific regions.
This was followed by the speech of Turkey Deputy Vice Minister for Trade Gonca Yilmaz Batur who provided an overview of the current status of trade and investment relations between both countries, citing that current levels between Turkey and the Philippines have so much potential to grow still considering its current levels.
Her Philippine counterpart, DTI Undersecretary (Vice Minister) Rodolfo mentioned opportunities for cooperation in sectors such as textile manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, construction/infrastructure, film/digital content, retail, agriculture, and others, and underscored the “common history of swift recovery” of both countries which have managed to immediately bounce back from tough episodes in the past to eventually emerge as among Europe’s and Asia’s most dynamic economies.
Turkish Ambassador Artemiz Sumer who is currently based in Manila lauded the proactive efforts undertaken by the organizers to convene a digital business meeting, and encouraged the business community to explore prospects for the Philippines and Turkey.
Ambassador Raul Hernandez, who heads the Philippine foreign service post in Ankara, and also currently the Chairman of the ASEAN Ankara Committee, added that he looks forward to more business engagements between both countries enumerating the locational advantages in the Philippines during his speech.
Both Ambassadors also supported Vice Ministers Batur’s and Undersecretary Rodolfo’s proposal to convene the 2nd Joint Committee on Economic and Trade Cooperation (JCETC), which was supposed to have been hosted by Manila this year, possibly by 2021, with possible digital intersessional meetings in between.
The digital discussion was moderated by Mr. Ilkem Sahin, Chairperson of the Turkey Philippines Business Council under the DEIK, which is considered the most influential business organization in Turkey today.
Around 130 live attendees from both countries were reported to have attended the event. A video of the entire proceeding will also be uploaded by DEIK at their youtube “DEIK Iletisim” site to enable those who were not able to join the livestream to view the discussion.
Queries involving a possible free trade agreement, an investment opportunity on healthcare information systems in the Philippines, mechanisms on how to foster trade and investment between both countries, among others, were responded to by the guest speakers before the one-and-a-half-hour digital program ended. ♦
Date of Release: 18 August 2020