President Benigno Aquino III returned to the country Friday morning from the United States, enthusiastic about prospects of more foreign investments coming in the Philippines. Aquino arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) 2 at 2:45 a.m. on board Philippine Airlines Flight PR 105. In his arrival speech, the President said foreign investors are "lining up" to set up or expand their businesses in the country "because they know that the Philippines is now open for them." “Mas angkop nang sabihin na ang mga banyagang kumpanya na ang pumipila upang makaangkas sa pag-angat ng ating ekonomiya," he said. He cited the meeting he had with Pepsi Corporation and Vita Coco and its Philippine partner Fiesta Coco Equity, which expressed readiness to invest in the country’s coconut industry. “Nauuso po kasi sa Amerika ngayon ang pag-inom ng coco water, na dito po sa atin ay buko juice. Dahil nga naman masustansya, natural, at maka-kalikasan ito, para pong nagiging bagong natural sports drink ito sa Amerika, na ngayon pa lang po ay daang-milyong industriya na," he said. “Di po ba't sa atin, kung minsan natatapon na lang iyan. Akalain po ninyong puwede pala nating mapagkakitaan, at gamitin sa ikaaangat ng buhay ng maraming Pilipino sa mga lalawigan," he added. Pepsi did not mention the amount it will invest while Vita Coco pledged to invest $15 million over the next four years.
Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, who was part of Aquino’s delegation, told reporters the investment amounts are not big but are expected to create more work opportunities. "In terms of employment generation,
malaking-malaki ang contribution noon at saka nasa tamang lugar dahil countryside development, this will include all the coconut farmers in the chain," he said. He added that interest in coconut water is growing in the US by 40 percent every year.
"Nag-uumpisa pa lang po ang paglaki nitong coconut water in terms of the demand. Sa US po nag-umpisa, ngayon pati sa Europe nagiging malaking bagay ang coconut water, kaya po ine-expect nila na over the next three to five years, maybe even 10 years, na lalaki at lalaki ang demand nito," Domingo said.
"Pero kailangan po tayong magtanim ng mga coconut trees para sustainable yung growth natin sa industry na ito," Domingo noted. He said many of the coconut trees in the country are already 80 to 100 years old, with yielding capacity of only 20 percent.
IBM Meanwhile, Aquino said IBM expressed willingness to expand its operations in the country and help the government upgrade the skills of the workers in the information technology sector. He also mentioned his
meeting with outsourcing firms Convergys and EXL service. Aquino said the consulting firm CG/LA also expressed interest in a tie-up with the government on infrastructure projects. He also met with the US-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Business Council.
“Iisa po ang pahiwatig nila: ‘Gusto namin ang nakikita namin, interesado kaming mamuhunan sa inyo. Magtulungan tayo, gusto namin kayong tulungang maabot ang potensyal ninyo’," he said. With all the potential investors, Aquino vowed to straighten out the processes for business investments in the country.
“Paplantsahin po natin ang mga proseso upang ang mga pahiwatig ay maging tunay na pagbubuhos ng puhunan—sasailalim sa prosesong walang wang-wang, walang manlalamang, at kasama ang mga Pilipino sa makikinabang," he said. He expressed belief that the renewed interest in the Philippines stems from his administration’s policy on good governance.
“Kinikilala na po tayo ng buong mundo, hindi lang po ng mga negosyante kundi pati na ng mga gobyerno. Nakikita nila kung paano natin pinapatag ang sistema. Ang bunga: tiwala at kumpyansa, na sanhi ng pagpasok ng mas maraming negosyante at makabuluhang mga proyekto," he said. Aquino also noted in the past, foreigners mostly heard “horror stories" about the investment situation in the Philippines, but now the country is being invited to share "best practices."
Challenge to Pinoys The President challenged the Filipinos to help in the country's economic progress.
“Tapos na ang panahon kung saan naghahatakan tayo pababa. Sa ating patuloy na pagkakapit-bisig, tiyak ang pag-usad ng ating bayan at ng marami nating mamamayan. Pag-aalabin pa natin ang liwanag ng ating pag-asa. Hindi na po mapipigilan ito; tuluy-tuloy na ang pagbangon at pag-angat ng Pilipinas," he said. Aside from Domingo, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary Ricky Carandang returned to the country with the President. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, and Transportation Secretary Manuel Roxas II were still in the US to talk with the credit agencies there. Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman also remained in the US to meet with the World Bank, which is supporting the government’s conditional cash transfer program.
— LBG/YA, GMA News 
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