2 days ago
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Louella Desiderio - The Philippine Star
March 14, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — A business delegation composed of 42 companies, the biggest from Slovenia, is in the Philippines to explore trade and investments.“
This is the biggest delegation that we have,” Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS) executive director Marjana Majeric told reporters during the Philippines-Slovenia Business Forum.
The delegation, which arrived on March 10, is composed of companies engaged in mobility; manufacturing; food and beverage; information and communications technology; science, technology and education as well as business consultancy.
There are also firms looking for workers to be deployed in Slovenia.
“The Philippines is seen as a really important hub for Slovenia, because more than 80 percent of the Slovenian companies are exporting globally. So therefore, we, as Slovenian companies, see the Philippines as the hub for Asian countries,” Majeric said.
She said the Philippines also offers many advantages such as its industrial parks and trainable workforce.
In addition, she said there are many sectors where the Philippines and Slovenian firms could work together such as technology, agriculture and food, sustainability, logistics, as well as energy.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said Slovenia’s business delegation to the Philippines signals a strong commitment to deepening the two countries’ economic ties.
She encouraged Slovenian firms to consider investing in the Philippines, which is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, supported by a young workforce and a government committed to bringing in reforms to improve the business climate.
Among the recent economic reforms enacted by the government is the CREATE MORE Act, which seeks to enhance incentives offered to investors.
“The CREATE MORE is really a game-changer in foreign trade and investments,” Roque said.
To strengthen business and economic cooperation between the two countries, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and CCIS signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) yesterday.
Under the MOU, the parties will undertake initiatives to promote cooperation in the mobility; manufacturing; food and beverage; science, technology and education sectors.
The parties will also organize outbound or host inbound trade and investment missions and assist each other in participation in trade fairs, conferences and business matching events taking place in their territories.
Last year, Slovenia’s exports to the Philippines reached €16 million, while its imports were valued at €6 million.
Majeric said the recent opening of the Slovenian Embassy in the Philippines is expected to boost imports and exports of both countries.
