Business leaders meet Mahathir on investments, trade, services

ASEAN HOPES The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Business Advisory Council (Asean BAC) Philippines and business leaders meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (seated, left) and his economic officials on March 7. Seated (right) is Asean BAC Philippines chair Joey Concepcion. (Standing, from left) Gil Gonzales, executive director of Asean Business Advisory Council; Henry Lim Bon Liong, president and CEO of SL Agritech Corp.; Daniel Zuellig, managing director of F.E. Zuellig Inc.; Alice Eduardo, president and CEO of Sta. Elena Construction and Development Corp.; Dennis Uy, chair and CEO of Udenna Corp.; Manny Villar, chair of Vista Land Corp.; Tessie Sy-Coson, vice chair of SM Investments Corp.; William Belo, CEO and founder of Wilcon Depot; Josephine Gotianun-Yap, president and CEO of Filinvest Land Inc.; Rosalind Wee, cofounder and vice chair of W Group; Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, president and CEO of Philippine Daily Inquirer; Ginggay Hontiveros-Malvar, adviser on agripreneurship of Go Negosyo; and Josephine Romero, senior adviser to the Asean BAC Philippines chair.

Business leaders met with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Thursday to discuss how to further strengthen the economic relationship between Malaysia and the Philippines.

Mahathir arrived on Wednesday on an official visit to Manila for talks with President Duterte on political, economic and social cooperation between the two countries.

Peace process facilitator

Joey Concepcion, chair of the Asean Business Advisory Council Philippines and presidential adviser for entrepreneurship, thanked Mahathir for his support for the business sector and Malaysia’s role in facilitating the peace process between the government and the Moro rebels in Mindanao.

The business leaders’ discussions with Mahathir covered infrastructure investments and exchange of goods and services between the two countries.

SM Investments Corp. vice chair Tessie Sy-Coson opened the discussion on sovereign investment funds.

Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, president of Philippine Daily Inquirer, asked Mahathir about his hopes for the Asean. In response, the 93-year-old leader said countries must gain fast economic growth that would lead to progress in the region.

Trade growth

Filinvest Land president and CEO Josephine Gotianun-Yap brought up the topic of trade and investments. Mahathir said investments would follow trade growth.

The business leaders also learned about the prime minister’s views on leadership and foreign relations.