Philippine president invites Jordanian businessmen to invest in his country

AMMAN — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday invited Jordanian businessmen to invest in the Philippines, and vowed an “ease of doing business”, according to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

 “There is one thing which I would like to guarantee you; maybe you’ve heard some other time of the Philippines being corrupt. Yes, most of them in the past. But I tell you now, I give you my solemn commitment that if you go there, it will be business with ease”, Duterte said during the Business Forum at the Intercontinental Hotel in Amman, the PNA reported.

Duterte said investments would help support the country’s huge population and their needs, particularly on education and healthcare, according to the PNA.

 Duterte said that the concern of every business person is to leave their country with their capital and build enterprises they hope will provide profit and employment.

He said that his country is keen on providing all the facilities needed by Jordanian businesses to operate in the Philippines and benefit from the resources available in the country, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

"We live in the world of trade and industry, and we want to live in a peaceful world. We need water, food and a sustainable living environment, so we must collectively work in order to create a better life," he added.

Duterte stressed that his government had taken control of the corruption suffered by businesses and that the governance procedures that guarantee success of investment and the rights of investors had been strengthened and enhanced, Petra said.

President Duterte witnessed the signing of seven agreements and memoranda of understanding to establish joint ventures in the fields of industry, agriculture, technology transfer, electronic financial services and information technology.

 The Philippine president voiced his appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah for the official invitation and the opportunity to meet with Jordanian businesses, as well as for the signing of a number of agreements and memoranda of understanding, which will establish a new stage of trade, investment relations and cooperation between the two countries, Petra reported.