By Marinel E. Peroy
Aside from delving into the diverse Malaysian culture from gastrodiplomacy to education, the Embassy of Malaysia in the Philippines is set to celebrate 60 years of friendship through business opportunities — from promoting inclusivity with halal industry and supporting innovativeness with more collaborations on tech activities.
In a media reception held at the embassy last June 6, upcoming activities spearheaded by the Malaysia embassy were announced, including exciting news of a high-level official visit.
“There is possibly a big, high-level delegation coming in Manila headed by the Foreign Minister of Malaysia [Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan] to take place in a couple of months,” said Deputy Chief of Mission Mohd Fareed Zakaria during his remarks.
Zakaria also noted the ‘active relations’ between Malaysia and the Philippines with their enhanced cooperation which will also be highlighted on the upcoming visit.
Made to trade
Last year, total trade between Malaysia and the Philippines was valued at US$7.91 billion, ranking the Philippines as the 16th largest trading partner of Malaysia. This 2024, more market updates and business opportunities are to be offered by the embassy to continue promoting trade partnerships.
What to expect? Below are some upcoming events of the embassy as coordinated by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), respectively:
- Specialized Business Mission on Franchise
- June 23 to 26, 2024
- Venue: Manila
- Around 10 Malaysian franchisors
- Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS)
- September 17 to 20, 2024
- Venue: Kuala Lumpur
- Event for Halal industry players — F&B, cosmetics, tourism, finance, etc.,
“Under this [Specialized Business] mission, the programmes that will be arranged for the Malaysian companies include one-to-one business matching, launching of the specialized business mission, engagements with Malaysian and Philippine franchisors who are already established here, and networking sessions with relevant government departments, associations, and industry players,” Trade Commissioner Intan Zalani said.
In addition, the MIHAS event will cater to the entire spectrum of the Islamic lifestyle demands. The halal campaign is one of the key advocacies of the embassy, as highlighted by Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino during THEPHILBIZNEWS Embassy Night – Year 3.
Time to tech It
Meanwhile, the embassy is also an active participant in the following ICT events. These include the a) Mindanao ICT Cluster Conference (MINDACON) from June 27 to 29, 2024 – an event organized by the National ICT Confederation in the Philippines (NICP), alongside collaborative efforts with DICT and MINDA; and b) Malaysia’s Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Group) event, National Human Capital Conference & Exhibition (NHCCE) 2024, to be held on September 30 to October 2, 2024 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur.
Both events will serve as a platform for featuring various topics from business, technology, and economy. From the challenges, opportunities, and trends, different digitalization topics will be part of the discourse such as the emerging technology feature of artificial intelligence (AI).
Indeed, it will be a promising year filled with friendship, mutual interests, and common goals between Malaysia and the Philippines through various initiatives. This collaboration will enhance the bond of these two nations, fostering not only economic growth but also cultural exchange.
Happy 60 years of diplomatic ties!
