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| 05 OCTOBER 2007 | ||
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| 05 OCTOBER 2007 | ||
| President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's state visit to India |
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SUMMARY OF BUSINESS CALLS MUMBAI 04 October 2007 Praj Industries Praj industries is working in the field of biofuels, with primary focus on renewable energy sources such as cassava, sweet sorghum and sugar cane; and is also concerned with the utilization of waste power to generate energy. Praj is doing a project in the Philippines on ethanol blending, and they expect to produce the first flow of Filipino ethanol to get into the market. They will also be working on a joint program for the development of sweet sorghum, and would like to share this knowledge with the Philippines. Praj and the Department of Agriculture will be signing an agreement for the joint propagation of sweet sorghum, which has a higher ethanol yield than sugar cane. WNS WNS is India’s largest BPO company, which has been in business for the past 10 years. WNS intends to expand their presence in the Philippines. The idea is to get away from the larger cities and locate in the smaller towns. Looks forward to the government’s support on this in terms of the physical and technological infrastructure. WNS notes with appreciation that the Philippine government is training call center employees. This has made the Philippines an attractive destination for Indian companies in the BPO and call center industries. WNS would like to transfer the management practices that have proven successful, and train Filipino workers to take on positions of management. Sutherland Sutherland Global Services is a global customer management company in the BPO industry with over 20 years of practitioner heritage in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Sutherland helps companies design, build and manage their customer management operations. Sutherland’s customer management operations centers are located in USA, Canada, India and the Philippines. Sutherland is mobilizing its operations in the province of Camarines Sur and is creating 300 jobs there before the end of the year. They are also expanding their facilities in Clark, targeting overall employment there at 2,500 seats. They are also looking at opening offices in Davao and Iloilo to generate another 600 jobs. Sutherland also plans to create more than 500 IT Training seats and train about 500 graduates per month in seven provinces across the Philippines. Hinduja The Hinduja Group is one of the largest diversified groups in the world spanning all the continents. The Group employs over 30,000 people and has offices in many key cities of the world and all the major cities in India. Expansion of Call Center & BPO business in the Philippines through HTMT Global Solutions. The Group has already invested over $25 million in this industry and has high growth plans to expand their presence in the Philippines. Gulf Oil, which also belongs to the group, has been in the Philippines for over 10 years and is actively looking at opportunities to expand and invest. Hinduja has previously entered into a joint venture with the Department of Energy on the production of compressed natural gas (CNG). Hinduja will be working with the PNOC and the DOE to establish a distribution network for CNG. Ispat Industries Ispat Industries Limited (IIL) is one of the leading integrated steel makers and the largest private sector producer of hot rolled coils in India. Global Steel Philippines (SPV-AMC), which was bought by Ispat, is the leading manufacturer and principal supplier of flat products in the Philippines and other ASEAN markets. Products include hot rolled coils, hot rolled plates, cold rolled coils (fullhard, annealed) and tinplates. Formerly known as National Steel Corporation, the plant is currently under the management of Global Ispat Holdings Limited, one of the world’s pioneering steel producers, having facilities in countries like Bulgaria, Nigeria, India, Bosnia, Libya and Zimbabwe. Global Steel Philippines (SPV-AMC) Inc. has submitted plans to set up an integrated steel plant involving investments of US $1.6 billion to be carried out in two phases. Points raised by Indian Film makers: Highly appreciate the opportunity given to them to dialogue with a head of state. The film makers warmly welcomed the recent relaxation of procedures for the issuance of Philippine visas to Indian nationals. The Department of Tourism will organize a familiarization tour for Indian film makers, to encourage them to use the Philippines as location for their films. |
| Indian BPO firm to expand RP operations |
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MUMBAI, India - Sutherland Global Services (SGS)
of India announced Thursday that it will expand its call center operations
in the Philippines with two new sites to be established outside Metro
Manila. Sutherland president K.S. Kumar made the announcement when he paid a courtesy call on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the Taj Majal Hotel where she is billeted while in India. Kumar informed the President that SGS’s new call centers would be established in Camarines Sur and Davao City. The Davao City call center will hire 100 workers. The two new SGS’s sites are expected to create 500 additional jobs to the firm’s total workforce in the country. There are 2,000 Filipinos employed by the Indian business process outsourcing (BPO) company at its Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) operations. Sutherland Global Services was also among the first locators at the new IT Park in Tarlac, with its 100-seat call center expected to be online by January 2008. He told the President that SGS is finalizing the evaluation of a proposed 200-employee call center operation in Iloilo and the planned training facilities in seven provinces to accommodate 500 graduates every month. The President thanked Kumar for his company's confidence in the Philippines and assured him of the government’s full support for SGS’s expansion program. In a separate courtesy call, WNS Global Services, India’s largest BPO company, presented to the President its upcoming call center project in the Philippines which was registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) last Sept. 26. She said Global Services made the right decision when it chose the Philippines as the site for its operation. The country now boasts of an expansive telecommunications network and a highly productive and English-proficient Filipino workforce. With India leading the group, the Philippines is currently ranked among the most favored destinations for BPO operations worldwide. |
| PGMA invites Indian investors to join bidding for privatized gov't assets |
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MUMBAI, India (via PLDT) -- President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo has invited Indian businessmen to participate in the
bidding for state properties under the government’s privatization program.
The President extended the invitation during her meeting Thursday with members of the Confederation of Indian Industries at the Taj Majal Hotel. "We invite Indian corporations to participate in the bidding for our asset privatization and to invest in Philippine government-owned and controlled corporations," the President said. She said the Philippines has cut red tape and liberalized its visa policy to make it easier for investors and visitors to enter the country. A good example of a privatized government asset is the Iligan Steel Mill in Iligan City which was acquired by India’s Ispat Industries Ltd., owner of Global Steelworks Philippines, for $225 million in 2004. Before it was privatized, Iligan Steel was operated by the National Steel Corporation (NSC). Ispat Industries managing director Vinod Mittal paid a courtesy call on the President Thursday afternoon at the Taj Majal Hotel and briefed her on the status of his company's operation in Iligan. Mittal said they have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrading the Iligan steel mill, already the largest single investment so far of an Indian company in the country. Ispat Industries' Iligan steel mill, which has an annual output of three million metric tons (MTs), supplies the requirements for cold rolled coils and flat steel products in the Philippines and other countries. |
| PGMA rolls out red carpet to Indian investors |
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MUMBAI, India (via PLDT) -- President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo has rolled out the red carpet for Indian businessmen
wanting to invest in the Philippines. In her meetings Thursday with various business leaders here, the President cited the investment opportunities the Philippine has to offer, ranging from, among others, investor-friendly policies of the government to a highly-reliable, efficient and productive workforce. Among the India companies the President invited to invest or expand their business operations in the Philippines were Praj Industries Limited, hotel and resort operators, and film producers. During her meeting at the Taj Mahal Hotel with executives of Praj Industries Limited, a pioneering Indian distillery firm, the President also invited Praj Industries president and chief executive officer (CEO) Shashank Inamdar to establish his company’s regional headquarters in the Philippines. Praj Industries is one of the world’s leading distillery companies providing innovative solutions in ethanol, bio-diesel and brewery technology as well as wastewater treatment. Aside from their Indian home base, Praj Industries also has plants in Britain, Germany, the United States and Australia. The President had earlier announced her administration’s determination to pursue a sustainable alternative energy program to lift the country from its dependence on expensive imported fossil fuel and at the same time help minimize greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming. The President is also pushing for the massive propagation in the Philippines of jatropha that could be used as a diesel substitute. Jatropha seeds could be exported to India for processing. The President also invited India’s hotel and resort owners to invest in the Philippines, particularly in the Central Philippines beltway, to promote tourism. The Philippines, she pointed out, has a lot to offer to tourists such as pristine waters, scenic spots and white sand beaches. “We invite tourist and tourism investors to come over. We invite Indian hotel chains, such as the Tata Group and the Oberoi Group to look at, and consider the Philippines as a destination for your next projects,” she said. She also told Rajiv Gujral, chief executive officer (CEO) of Taj Mahal Hotel Resorts and Palace, to take advantage of the increasing tourists traffic in the Philippines. Ecotourism has become extremely popular and a growth sector in the Philippine economy, she said. The President also regaled Indian filmmakers with the captivating location sites in the Philippines for making movies, the Filipinos’ creative talents, post production houses and other technical and logistical requirements. “This is an advantage not only for investments but also as a film location site for the largest movie industry in the world, Bollywood,” she said in her address before the Confederation of Indian Industries at the Taj Mahal Hotel. |
| PGMA looks forward to rivival of cultural ties with India |
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NEW DELHI (via PLDT) - President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo said here today that she looks forward to the revival of
cultural ties and enhancement of economic, political, trade and diplomatic
integration between the Philippines and India. "India played a very important influence on the culture of the Philippines way back before the Spaniards colonized us and we want to revive our cultural ties,” she said in a brief media interview after the welcome ceremonies accorded her at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi this morning. The President described India now as the fourth largest economy in the world and with that, she said, comes great responsibilities to her neighbors in the economic, political and security fields. "And as one of the neighbors of India in the East Asian region, we are happy to be here to move the integration of our economies forward," she explained. The President arrived Thursday night at the Palam Air Force Station here from Mumbai. She was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye. Clad in an aqua marine dress, the Chief Executive arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Indian Presidential palace, at 9:05 a.m. (11:35 a.m. Manila time) officially opening her State Visit here. She was accorded red carpet welcome by Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and President SMT Pratibha Devisingh Patil amid full military honors. The President walked down the red carpet aisle towards the dais where the Indian Guard of Honor band played the Philippine and Indian national anthems. Singh and Patil introduced President Arroyo to the members of their cabinet and dignitaries. The Filipino Chief Executive then placed a wreath at the Samadhi (tomb) of Mahatma Gandhi, walked around the tomb in a clockwise direction before returning to the archway where she signed the Visitor's Book. She then returned to the Oberoi Hotel where she is billeted for the rest of her visit. This afternoon, the President will have an expanded bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Singh before attending a State Banquet to be hosted by President Patil in the evening. She will have a series of courtesy calls with various Indian businessmen and prominent personalities as well as a coffee meeting with the Filipino community. |
| PGMA bares signing of 9 bilateral agreements with India |
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NEW DELHI, India (via PLDT) -- President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo announced today the signing of nine bilateral agreements
aimed at fortifying the economic, political, security and cultural relations
between the Philippines and India. The President made the announcement during the forum of the Filipino-Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and India's Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Oberoi Hotel here this afternoon. The President said these agreements are: Framework of Philippines-India Bilateral Relations, and Agreement to Establish the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. "These two agreements identify priorities, set directions and lead Philippines-India relations to a new era in various areas of cooperation such as defense and security, health and medicine, trade and investments, energy, agriculture, tourism and culture," the President said. The $50-million credit line from the Export and Import Bank of India. "We hope this can finance transactions that will correct the lopsided nature of our trade in favor of India. With India now as one of the world's top economies with a new middle class of half a billion people, your internal market demand and domestic consumption can have a direct and positive impact on us in terms of job creation, balance of trade and investment," the President said. Philippines-India Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism. "Indeed, terrorism is an international blight. If we are to fight terrorism together we must strengthen our defense cooperation. Last year, we signed a defense cooperation agreement but that should be carried out and implemented," she said. The President said defense cooperation should be more intensive such as the exchange of military personnel and students, joint military exercises in non-combat activities such as disaster response, peacekeeping, and other humanitarian actions. Memorandum of Agreement in the Field of Health and Medicine, and Agreement between the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) and the Indian State Trading Corporation for the purchase of $35 million worth of quality but affordable medicines from India. "Our massive spending on health care includes importing pharmaceuticals from India as part of our program to cut in half the price of medicines commonly bought by the poor," the President said. Memorandum of Agreement on Enhanced Cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy. "We are developing a biofuels industry that helps our energy independence, create jobs and keeps our nation clean for future generations. Yesterday Praj Industries informed us they are ready to roll out their Philippine bio-ethanol plant soon. We also want to explore joint ventures between Philippine and Indian institutions to produce biofuel from sweet sorghum and jatropha," the President said. The President said she has invited Indian corporations to participate in the privatization of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) and the National Transmission Corporation (Transco). "Yesterday, Kalpataru Power Transmission said they would join the bid for the December privatization of our national transmission grid," the President said. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Foreign Service Institutes of the Philippines and India. Memorandum of Agreement on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic Passports and Official Passports. "We have liberalized our policy towards Indian nationals. We had an anachronistic policy considering Indians as restricted nationals. How illogical to restrict nationals of the world's fourth largest economy when we should be courting you instead," the President said. As a result of India's new-found economic power, the President said there are political, economic and strategic implications for India and the East Asian region. “As India becomes a true political and economic giant, your obligations to your neighbors also increase, separate from your obligations to your own citizens. These are big responsibilities which we hope will be accommodated in our bilateral relations with each other," the President said. |
| Bollywood to produce movies using RP's beautiful scenery as settings |
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NEW DELHI (via PLDT) -- President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo said today that Bollywood (the Indian version of Hollywood)
movies would be produced in the Philippines within the year using the
country's beautiful scenery and alternative location sites as setting. Speaking before the Filipino-Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry forum at the Oberoi Hotel here, the President said she invited Indian filmmakers during their courtesy call on her Thursday in Mumbai to consider the Philippines as an alternative site for producing Bollywood films. "When we explained this to 17 members of Bollywood yesterday, they agreed to visit the Philippines before the end of the year to look for film locations. The leading producer, Aditya Raj Kapoor committed to make a movie in the Philippines within a year," the President said. The President said the Philippines offers fine location sites, creative Filipino talents, post production houses and studios, and other technical and logistics requirements for Bollywood, the largest film industry in the world which is producing some 1,000 films each year. In an earlier interview, Viva Films chief executive officer Vic del Rosario said the Philippines could take advantage of the huge market of India, having a population of some 1.1 billion next only to China's 1.3 billion people. Del Rosario said the Philippines could develop and offer alternative production sites for foreign filmmakers in Subic and Clark such as the Fantasia Philippines. Thomas Puig, chief executive officer of Compressor Films that was involved in the production of the top-grosser film "Pirates of the Caribbean," added that his company is eyeing alternative production and location sites such as Fantasia's giant water tank and the scenic islands and water areas in the country. |
| PGMA hails new $1.6-billion investment of India's Ispat Industries in RP |
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NEW DELHI, India (via PLDT) -- President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo hailed today the planned $1.6-billion new investment of
Ispat Industries Ltd., owner of Global Steelworks Philippines, which is so
far the biggest single Indian investment in the Philippines. The President made the statement during the forum of the Filipino-Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and India's Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Oberoi Hotel here this afternoon. The President said that because of the highly conducive investment climate in the Philippines, Global Steelworks now joins the billion-dollar investments made by America's Texas Instruments and AES, Hanjin Industries of Korea and Marubeni Corporation of Japan. Ispat Industries Managing Director Vinod Mittal reported on their plan to establish a new integrated steel plant in southern Philippines during a courtesy call on the President Thursday afternoon at the Taj Majal Hotel in Mumbai. "Global Steelworks of Mittal joins our billion dollars club by informing us of their plan to set up an integrated steel plant in southern Philippines involving investments of $1.6 billion," the President said. As part of the government's asset privatization program, Global Steelworks Philippines acquired in 2004 for $225 million the Philippines' largest steel mill in Iligan City, formerly operated by the National Steel Corporation (NSC). During his courtesy call, Mittal reported to the President that they have already spent hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrading the Iligan steel mill operation that has an output of three million metric tons (MTs) per year. Mittal said they now supply the requirements for various steel products in the Philippines and other countries. |
| President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Speech at the FICCI/ASSOCHAM/CII in New Delhi, October 5, 2007 |
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• We thank the FICCI, ASSOCHAM and CII for the
chance to be together today, at a time when India has become one of the
world’s top economies, and at a time when the Philippine economy has reached
a new level of maturity and stability. • We cannot highlight enough the great strides that India has accomplished in recent years. Your impressive growth, largely fueled by a knowledge economy, is unique and worthy of emulation. It has made you the world’s fourth largest economy. • There are political, economic and strategic implications for India and the East Asian region as a result of your new-found economic power. As India becomes a true political and economic giant, your obligations to your neighbors also increase, separate from your obligations to your own citizens. These are big responsibilities which we hope will be accommodated in our bilateral relations with each other. • The highlights of the bilaterals we have struck between India and the Philippines include eight agreements: (1) a Framework of Philippines-India Bilateral Relations and (2) Agreement to Establish the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. These two agreements identify priorities, set directions and lead Philippine-India relations to a new era in various areas of cooperation such as defense and security, health and medicine, trade and investments, energy including renewable energy, agriculture, tourism, and culture. • (3) $50 million credit line from the Export and Import Bank of India. We hope this can finance transactions that will correct the lopsided nature of our trade in favor of India. With India now one of the world’s top economies with a new middle class of half a billion people, your internal market demand and domestic consumption can have a direct and positive impact on us in terms of job creation, balance of trade and investment. • Most of the Philippine exports to India are industrial inputs like electronics, phosphoric acid and newsprint. With India’s half a billion new middle class we hope we can do more trade in consumer products like fashion garments, fashion furniture, and the trendy virgin coconut oil. • Yesterday noon at the meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industries in Mumbai, I told the business community that the current surge of investments in the Philippines has been anchored by the billion dollar plus investments in our country of several major international companies such as America’s Texas Instruments and AES, Korea’s Hanjin and Japan’s Marubeni. • In the afternoon Global Steel of Mittal joined our billion dollar club by informing us of their plans to set up an integrated steel plant in southern Philippines involving investments of $1.6 billion. • In BPO, Credence Analytics signed a joint venture with a Philippine company, WNS informed us of their plan to set up in the Philippines, while Sutherland informed us of its plans to double its knowledge based employment in the Philippines. • We believe the Philippines offers the best value for Indian investment today. We offer a strategic location in a fast-growing region, our workforce is well educated, productive and English speaking. • This is an advantage also as a film location site for the Indian movie industry. The Philippines is not only advantageous but a premier choice for film shooting because of its white sand beaches, enigmatic and mysterious rainforests, historical heritage sites, and crystalline scapes like lahar and sand dunes. It is a fountain of creative and service talent. We have the production equipment, post production houses and studios, sound stages and other technical and logistics requirements. • When we explained this to members of Bollywood yesterday, they agreed to visit the Philippines before the end of the year to look for film locations. The famous producer Aditya Raj Kapoor has decided to do a movie in the Philippines. • Our white sand beaches combine with the beautiful smiles of our people to make tourism one of our growth sectors. Yesterday Taj Resorts agreed to go to the Philippines to look at possible investment sites. Our Secretary of Tourism, Ace Durano, shall also invite the Oberoi Group to look at the Philippines for their next project. • A possible area of agricultural partnership and cooperation is in the sector of dairy and livestock meat products. The Philippines imports more than 1.7 million metric tons of milk and cream products, as well as more than 50,000 metric tons of carabao beef meat. • The Indian Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal Husbandry Division has no problem with our securing livestock strengthening Philippines livestock. We are looking for partnerships in livestock technology involving artificial insemination, grow-out farms and meat processing operations. The Philippines is foot-and-mouth disease free and bird flu free. We can supply both our growing demand and that of Asia. • On energy, we likewise invite Indian corporations to participate in the privatization of our national power assets. Yesterday Kalpataru Power Transmission said they would join the bid for the December privatization of our national transmission grid. • (4) Philippines-India Joint Declaration for Cooperation to Combat International Terrorism. • (5) Memorandum of Agreement in the Field of Health and Medicine: We are committed to consolidating the gains in new revenue by making long overdue investments in human and physical infrastructure. This includes billions of pesos in new bridges, roads and ports along with billions in education, training and healthcare to upgrade our competitiveness and alleviate poverty. • Our massive spending on health care includes importing pharmaceuticals from India as part of our program to cut in half the price of medicines commonly bought by the poor. • (6) Agreement between the Philippine International Trading Corporation and the Indian State Trading Corporation for the $35 million worth of affordable medicines. But we encourage private drug store owners and local governments to do business with Indian corporations. Let me introduce the representatives of the local governments in our delegation: Governor Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, Mayor Villanueva of Bais City and Mayor Navarro of the town of Laac in Mindanao. Yesterday in Mumbai two Indian pharmaceuticals signed agreements with the Philippine private sector. • Our delegation also includes members of the Philippine Congress. Let me introduce them: Deputy Speaker Villarosa, Congresswoman Angping, Congressman Biron, Congresswoman Garin and Congressman Zialcita. Let me also take this opportunity to thank them for their enthusiasm in pushing for legislation that would make medicines in the Philippines more affordable, just like in India. Three days ago the Philippine Senate passed their version of the bill on second reading. When combined with the version of the House of Representatives the final passage of the bill will be a major milestone in our administration’s efforts to promote better health for our people. It will provide the legal framework to allow the production of cheaper medicines in the Philippines instead of just importing them. • We share what is good news for us with the Indian business community. We want it to be good news for you, too, by encouraging your pharmaceutical companies to set up production facilities in the Philippines so that you can keep your Philippine market. You can even use it as a base to export to other markets in the Far East. • (7) Memorandum of Agreement on Enhanced Cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy: We are developing a bio fuels industry that helps our energy independence, create jobs and keeps our nation clean for future generations. Yesterday Praj Industries informed us that they are ready to roll out their Philippine bio-ethanol plant soon. We also want to explore joint ventures between Philippine and Indian institutions to produce biofuel from sweet sorghum and jatropha. • (8) Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Foreign Service Institutes of the Philippines and India. • (9) Memorandum of Agreement on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic Passports and Official Passports. But more important, we have liberalized our visa policy towards Indian nationals. We had an anachronistic policy considering Indians as restricted nationals. How illogical to restrict nationals of the fourth largest economy when we should be courting your instead. • The Philippines is on a path to permanent economic growth and stability. Six years ago, no one thought we could get more revenues, cut down on tax cheats, strengthen the peso, move the stock market, pre-pay our debts and raise employment, but we have. • We are bullish on 21st century India and on your ability to help drive positive change in the world. We have the unique opportunity to learn from you and create our own path to development. And we want to do business with you. Thank you. |
