2017 was a great year for the British Chamber of Commerce (BCCP) and they invited their media friends to share a fanciful lunch at Mirèio at Raffles Makati to highlight the year and the new challenges moving forward in 2018. Headed by the BCCP Chairman Chris Nelson, the BCCP is the recognized voice of British business in the country, supporting the development of their member’s business interests in the British and Philippine communities.
While having the wonderful Longe de porc, sauge, poitrine de porc fumée, fricassé de petit pois, sauce au comté (that was a mouthful – it was pan fried pork loin, sage, pancetta, peas fricassée, and comté cream), Chairman Chris Nelson proudly informed us that around 1600 small and medium businesses from the UK inquired on how to start trade in business in the Philippines.
Of course, this does not mean that all 1600 of them will get the opportunity; but it is something to look forward to this 2018 in regard to further trade and commerce between the two countries, especially knowing that there are around 250,000 of our countrymen living and working in the UK.
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The Saumon en papillotte, épices de , Noël legumes de saison, sauce moutarde a l’orange (salmon papillotte, Christmas spices, seasonal vegetables in orange-mustard sauce), which went well great with the Rosée wine I had.
It will be big this 2018 as the UK wants to expand business and trade within the Philippine food and drinks sector, education, specialized engineering (as we have some of the best engineers in the world), renewable and clean energy (which is the future), and the technology transfer in regard to cyber security (which will be important with the world being connected).
Fun fact: The UK is also the biggest European investor in the Philippines, having invested more than US$1.2 Billion.
The Bûche de Noël, chocolat en Grand Marnier coulis de framboise, glace vanille (chocolate & Grand Marnier log cake, raspberry coulis, vanilla ice cream).
Other improvements to look forward to this year include the reduction of red tape, the ease on foreign investments, our country’s investment in infrastructure to ease the travel time since existing and possible new businesses from the UK do want to invest on us in the long term. New businesses means new jobs, which is always a plus in my book.
2017 was a challenging year for our country, but 2018 looks like it is already starting out with a bang! Not only do I hope that business between the nations expands, but hopefully in the future, one of my articles will be written in a countryside bed and breakfast somewhere in the United Kingdom.
British Chamber of Commerce Philippines
8/F, W Fifth Building, 5th Avenue cor. 32nd Street, BGC, Taguig
+632 556 5532
