Text and photos by Marinel Peroy
Musing on the keynote speech of British Ambassador to the Philippines, Her Excellency Laure Beaufils who gladly shared the growing bilateral relations of the United Kingdom and the Philippines at impressive 2.9 billion pounds a year and with a lot of exciting development are happening.
The overall business climate in the Philippines is “warm, growing, and friendly” for UK investors, according to the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) Executive Director and Trustee Chris Nelson.
Speaking with THEPHILBIZNEWS, Nelson reiterated that BritCham is committed to promoting the Philippines as an investment destination and continue to collaborate with various government agencies. With collective efforts to entice more British businesses and brands into the country, a myriad of activities were spearheaded by BritCham depicting its true commitment to being the voice of the British business community in the country.
“We want to increase foreign direct investment (FDI). [In order to do that], we need to keep pushing on certain areas we want for the economy to open up further. We want to see an improvement and ease of doing business. And if that comes through, then we’ll see more investments,” Nelson said.
For instance, the largest UK gaming chairs brand, BraZen Gaming Chairs, event was successfully launched this year. Aside from the niche-targeted esports industry business service, BritCham also discloses that the UK pork exports has grown massively — which proved how the Philippines serves as a key player in Asia, after China, respectively. In partnership with Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), BritCham links the UK exporters and local importers with the same advocacy of food security. This was highlighted during the UK’s Business Mission Trip: The Great Yorkshire Show (July) and Philippines’ World Food Expo 2023 (August). Ultimately, British pork’s competitive edge is seen with high quality safety standards and free-range production that any meat importer or consumer can trust.
Aside from enjoying a delightful nosh or heavy sumptuous meal, there’s more to discover with the UK’s posh culture. BritCham’s calendar is filled with exciting activities that are in line for next year, from trade missions to the spotlight of UK-Philippine excellence through the Great British Festival.
“We’re discussing dates with the embassy. The plan is to have the Great British Festival — it might be towards the end of 2024, rather than the beginning.” Nelson also shared a little bit of flavor to the ‘tea’ that the upcoming GBF may also coincide with UK-Philippines Friendship Day.
Stay tuned for copious updates regarding the Great British Festival’s alluring return in 2024, and expect another spectacular cultural extravaganza that promises to be not only delightful but spicier than the Spice Girls themselves. Get ready to embark on a journey of UK-Phl ties in fusion celebration, where the richness of British culture meets and exchanges with the warmth of Filipino hospitality.
