By Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat

At least 25 Filipino-American businessmen are attending this year’s 44th Philippine Business Conference (PBC) as they see potentials for investments in the country.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Alegria Bing Limjoco said these Fil-Ams are engaged in various fields, but most of them are in the IT sector.

“Most of them are IT from the Silicon Valley,” said Limjoco adding that the US delegation will also explore business opportunities in the country.

This year’s PBC, which will carry the theme “Infrastructure & Digital Economy: The Game Changers”, will be held in Manila Hotel from October 18-19. PBC is the largest annual gathering of businessmen in the country organized by the PCCI.

This year’s PBC will highlight airport, electricity rate and telco services.

Limjoco stressed the need to address and find solutions to pressing issues hounding business and bottlenecks to the country’s continued growth.

“We all agree we need to put our collective acts together to transform us into a powerhouse economy not in ASEAN but with the leading economies in Asia,” Limjoco said.

“The Philippines is the rising star despite the challenges still many countries want to invest in us,” said Limjoco, who cited serious interest from Chinese investors during the Silk Road Forum she attended in China recently.

This year’s PBC, which is chaired by businessman Ramon S. Ang, president and COO of San Miguel Corp., will have a different format in tackling problems and issues of the domestic economy.

PCCI Chairman Emeritus Francis Chua explained that instead of presenting pure recommendations on issues hounding the business, the 44th PBC Resolutions will craft solutions to problems to be presented to President Duterte, who will address the PBC on the last day of the PBC.

“The resolutions will be a little bit different because before we list issues problems but this time we will submit proposed solutions so we tell government what we would like government to look into and how to solve it,” he said. This will incorporate all the resolutions gathered from the various area business conference that PCCI conducted on the run-up to the PBC.

Chua said that this year’s PBC will highlight the country’s infrastructure programs for airport, electricity rate, and telco services.

On airport infrastructure, Chua said “What keeps delaying the airport and would like the government to answer how to support and make it a reality as soon as possible. So, we hope the conference can accomplish that.”

On ICT services, PCCI Chairman George Barcelon said they hope that a third player will be announced before December this year.

They would also like the government to make clear how consumers can benefit from the third telco because the two existing players are “less than ideal” with their speed and cost of subscription among the highest in the region.

“ICT is a mainstream in trade and commerce and that is one of the foundations we must have,” stressed Barcelon.

On electricity rate, a PBC session has been allocated for discussion on how to lower the rate and what are the inclusions that they want removed.

Roberto Amores, president of Philippine Food Exporters and Processors Organization, Inc. (Philfoodex), cited the plenary on power to be handled by PCCI Energy Committee Chair Alejandro.

“The discussion on power cost will be highlighted very seriously with cost breakdown to be under scrutiny and what items should be removed to reduce the cost of power,” he said.

This year’s PBC will also tackle the trade war between the US and China.