Foreign investor confidence in the Philippines remains at an all-time high despite the bungled rescue attempt of Hong Kong nationals held hostage by a disgruntled former Manila policeman, President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Thursday.
The President said officials of a multi-national bank based in the United States have already signified their intent to invest in the country.
He said his forthcoming trip to the US would solidify the prospective investor’s plans which he said would generate jobs for the Filipino people.
“By the end of September, we will be going to America and upon our return, I believe that we will be bringing gifts for the Filipino people in the form of additional jobs,” the President said.
He said Deutsche Bank officials met with him in Malacañang after the Luneta Grandstand hostage-taking incident to express their collective confidence on the country as an investment venue.
“I met with bank officials in Malacañang a day after the Luneta Grandstand hostage-taking incident and they told me that what we are going through right now is only temporary,” the President said.
“Our confidence in the Philippines is still complete, in fact we plan to increase our exposure here over three times because we believe that the Philippines is on the path to progress,” the President quoted the bank officials as saying.
He said that with the increase in investments, the country’s economy would also grow and with a growing economy, the search of funding sources to bankroll various infrastructure projects would become easier.
The President called on all Filipinos: “If we help each other, if we focus on our responsibility to others, nothing can impede the growth of the Filipino people. (PCOO/PIA)