Industry & Retail

The administration of Benigno Aquino III aspires to achieve inclusive, broad-based growth, a goal which necessitates a strong manufacturing base that presents employment prospects for skilled, semi-skilled and low-skilled workers. The country’s demographic dividend, attractive workforce, projected economic growth and the continued improvement of its business environment are combining to generate investor interest. ASEAN integration offers newfound market access to a wide and emerging consumer base, and the Philippines will need to ramp up its manufacturing competitiveness to ensure it becomes a net exporter, rather than a pure importer, of value-added products moving throughout the region.

This chapter contains interviews with Hikosaburo Shibata, President and CEO, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines; and Ben Chan, Chairman and CEO, Suyen Corporation.