MANILA – President Benigno Aquino trumpeted the gains of his five-nation official trip abroad and said this has generated US$2.35 billion worth of investment.
Aquino returned to Manila after the 12-day swing in Europe and the Unites States. “Aabot po ng 2.35 bilyong dolyar ang halaga ng nakalap nating mga panata at tiyak na investment, na tinataya namang lilikha ng 33,850 trabaho,” he said, adding, this is the fruit of his meetings with 22 corporations in Spain, Belgium, France, Germany and the United States.
He also noted that Coca-Cola has already expanded its investment in the country.
“Nariyan po ang Coca-Cola. Ipinangako nila sa atin noon ang pagpasok ng karagdagang isang bilyong dollars sa bansa bago sumapit ang taong 2015. Sa biyaheng ito, iniulat nilang naipasok na ang lahat ng puhunang ito, at hindi pa tayo umaabot sa 2015,” he said.
“Ang Volkswagen din po, halimbawa, inengganyo nating dito magtayo ng kanilang global manufacturing hub; malaking bentahe ang lumalaki nating middle class, pati na rin ang maganda nating lokasyon at ang husay ng ating manggagawa, at ipagpapatuloy po natin ang pang-eengganyo sa kanila,” he added.
He declined to give more details of all these, but most of the investment Aquino was talking were only pledges.
“Hindi na po natin idedetalye ang bawat isa sa kanila at baka po mausog, pero ang masasabi ko lang po: Nagkakaisa sila sa kanilang tiwala sa gumaganda nating ekonomiya at sistemang panlipunan. Alam nila ang bunga ng ating mga reporma; at umaasa sila sa patuloy nating pag-angat,” he said, assuring that these investment would turn into more opportunities for the Filipino people.
20