The German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Philippine Trade and Investment Center , hosted the landmark event, graced by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
The president shared valuable insights into the promising linkage between the two nations. He highlighted the importance of Germany as a key partner in the EU, then outlined policy reforms and key legislations aimed at making the Philippines a more attractive destination for foreign investors. Meanwhile, the forum coincided with the 70th anniversary of Philippine-German diplomatic ties. Notably, it saw the participation of distinguished guests from the German side such as APA chair Dr. Roland Busch who is the CEO of Siemens AG, and Parliamentary State Secretary Stefan Wenzel of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action—both of whom emphasized the commitment to deepening bilateral trade relations.
The forum culminated in a panel discussion led by GPCCI president Stefan Schmitz, Ayala Group AC Motors CEO Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala and Bosch Southeast Asia’s president Vijay Ratnaparkhe. The panel explored topics on Philippine investment climate, ease of doing business, discussion of key sectors, and the EU-Philippine Free Trade Agreement, among others.