Marcos off to ‘auspicious start’ at WEF, bodes well for PH — Romualdez

MANILA, Philippines — The good start for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the World Economic Forum (WEF) is “auspicious” and would bode well for the country, House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said.

Romualdez, in a statement late  Tuesday, said that the supposed good start for Marcos at Davos, Switzerland, would boost the Philippines’ position as an investment hub — particularly as the Chief Executive aims to soft launch the country’s sovereign wealth fund at the WEF.

The House Speaker said this after the Secretary Cheloy Garafil of the Presidential Communications Office said that Marcos was able to draw “a very positive response” from some of the world’s top leaders and business people during a dinner hosted for the President.

“This is an auspicious start and bodes well for the success of the President’s mission here at the WEF, and that is to position the Philippines as an investment hub and gateway to the Asia-Pacific region,” Romualdez said.

“I am confident that the President would get the same response as he articulates the gains made under his administration to make the Philippines more investment-friendly,” he added.

READ: Marcos Jr draws ‘very positive response’ from CEOs, Palace says

Information from Romualdez’s office showed that the House leader also accompanied the President and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos in a meeting with former United Kingdom prime minister Tony Blair on the sidelines of the WEF.

Other Philippine officials present are Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Special Assistant to President Antonio Lagdameo.

Romualdez was also with Marcos during the Country Strategy Dialogue on the Philippines at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Marcos was said to have highlighted the bright prospect for the Philippine economy.

Previously, Romualdez said the Philippine delegation remains bullish about the economy’s growth for 2023, despite a possible global economic slowdown based on a January 14 article by Jo-Ok Lee, head of the Regional Agenda for the Asia Pacific region at the WEF.

The House leader said the global slowdown would have some effects on the Asean-six — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Despite this, the article said that the Philippines and Malaysia can potentially be the top two countries in the region.  Considering all of these, Romualdez said that the conditions should bode well for Marcos’ bid to take home pledges and investments at the WEF.

With reports from Niña Cuasay, trainee

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