BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera is a good investment hub for foreign businessmen because of the existence of its robust natural wealth coupled with the good working attitude of the people, Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Lalduhthlana Ralte said here recently.
Ambassador Ralte met with officials of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Baguio-Benguet Chapter to thresh out future partnerships by Indian and local businessmen in order to continue the robust growth of the region’s economy which is anchored and service and manufacturing-based operations.
“We look forward to partnering with local businessmen in order to contribute in the sustained growth of the mining, agriculture, education and business process outsourcing industry which are good investment potentials in the future,” Ambassador Ralte stressed.
Ambassador Ralte disclosed Indian BPO companies, which are known worldwide as one of the top BPO operators, are considering expanding their operations in other countries, including the Philippines, and are considering employing more Filipinos because of their inherent ability to speak the English language fluently.
He added Cordillera higher education institutions are known producers of quality college graduates and Indian BPO companies are looking forward to hire most of the graduates in order to further enhance the country’s BPO industry once Indian companies start their BPO operations in strategic areas in the country.
According to him, Filipino college graduates enjoy a distinct advantage over their counterparts in other countries because of their ability to adjust to the working conditions and speak the international language which is part of the requirements to be employed in international BPO companies.
Ambassador Ralte cited in terms of agriculture, Indian businessmen are looking into the possibility of getting their supply of semi-temperate fruits and vegetables in the |Cordillera considering that the region is the major producer of quality highland vegetables that sustain the supply of the Manila and lowland markets.
The Indian ambassador revealed mining could also be a good avenue for partnership between Indian and Filipino businessmen because of the existence of substantial mineral deposits in the region which could be explored, utilized and developed for the benefit of enhancing the economic growth of communities and instrumental in spurring the country’s economic growth in the future.
Ambassador Ralte said he will initiate subsequent dialogues between Indian and local businessmen to explore future partnerships in order for them to be able to significantly contribute in spurring the economic growth of the provinces comprising the Cordillera and be able to generate additional employment opportunities to assist in uplifting the living condition of the people.
Dr. Rhodora A. Ngolob, PCCI-Baguio-Benguet Chapter president and Dean of the University of the Cordilleras College of Business Administration, expressed the group’s gratitude to Ambassador Ralte for his commitment to bring to the region future investments that would continue to uplift the region’s identity as the future investment hub in Northern Luzon because of the good business climate and availability of resources. By Dexter A. See
