PHILIPPINE Ambassador Ezzedin H. Tago has outlined the Philippines’ public-private partnership (PPP) program under which a number of projects have been planned to be developed in cooperation with foreign and local investors.

He urged Saudi investors to participate in these projects. In January 2013, four major infrastructure projects under the PPP program have already been approved. The projects cover roads and railways, communications and a gas pipeline.

In the past, contributed toto infrastructure in the Philippines, providing $ 20 million as soft loans for the development of various road projects in the Mindanao region. This was part of Saudi Arabia’s commitment of $ 100 million to Philippines development projects.

Besides diversifying its markets and increasing its concentration on the production of goods and services with clear competitive advantage, the Philippines is looking to further value-add growth sectors such as IT-BPO and penetrate high growth markets in Asia to achieve the projected growth of the country.

Under its 2012 Investment Priorities Plan, investment in preferred activities such as the creative industries will be given incentives. The creative industries cover business process outsourcing (BPO) activities, and IT and IT-enabled services that involve original content.

The Philippine BPO industry is reputed globally to have talented, highly-proficient in English, and service-oriented human resources. It is also cost-competitive, strategically located (gateway to Asia) and boasts of excellent telecom infrastructure support and strong government private sector partnership.