American CEOs, Commerce Secretary Pritzker in Manila to strengthen US-PHL business ties

US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, American CEOs, and the US-ASEAN Business Council are meeting Philippine government and business leaders to talk about how the Southeast Asian country can sustain its economic growth.

 

The Americans arrived in Manila on Tuesday.

 

The Filipinos and the Americans will tackle how the Philippines should develop a fair and open business climate, reduce market access barriers, and increase transparency, the US Embassy in Manila noted in an e-mailed statement Tuesday.

 

Pritzker will deliver a major address on America’s economic engagement in Asia-Pacific and how it looks forward to the mutually-beneficial growth opportunities that exists in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

 

During his visit to the Philippines in April, President Barack Obama announced that Pritzker would return to the region with a delegation of American business leaders to help strengthen business-to-business ties between the United States and ASEAN. 

 

"The US government and US businesses recognize the tremendous mutually-beneficial growth opportunities that exist in the region, and are eager to serve as partners to ASEAN countries as they look to support a growing middle class, develop world-class infrastructure, unleash sustainable energy, and invest in their futures," the statement read.

 

The Philippines is the second stop of Prtizker in the region, a trip which began Monday in Vietnam. Her final stop is Burma – to reaffirm US support for positive political and economic reforms happening there. She will also meet with civil society leaders, government officials, and the Burmese business sector.

 

This is Pritzker's third trip to Asia since taking office almost a year ago. – Janelle Cosino/VS, GMA News