SYDNEY, Australia – Philippine Ambassador to Australia Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega delivered the keynote remarks at the year-end gala of the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) on 06 December 2018 at the Sofitel Sydney. The Ambassador said, “we encourage the APBC to participate in the Philippines’ positive growth trajectory.”

H.E. Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia (third from left), is joined by Mr. Eduard Alcordo, President of the Australia Philippines Business Council (second from left), and other Council members during the year-end gala held in Sydney.

Having arrived from Manila just a week earlier, Ambassador De La Vega shared updates on the resilience of the Philippine economy and the policy and infrastructure reforms that the Philippine government has been undertaking, in particular the passage of the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act and the recent signing of the 11th Foreign Investment Negative List (FINL). Ambassador De La Vega also discussed the progress of the government’s massive infrastructure program, Build Build Build.

In her remarks, Ambassador De La Vega underscored the many opportunities for further trade and investment between the Philippines and Australia and lauded Philippine investments in Australia such as the Victoria International Container Terminal owned and managed by ICTSI; Monde Nissin Australia; Ramcar Australia and New Zealand; and, San Miguel.

The APBC, founded in 1979, is the premier private sector organization focused on increasing and strengthening trade and investment between Australia and the Philippines.