Organised by Stratbase Group
Philippine Cabinet secretaries and leaders of the biggest companies in the Philippines pushed for strategic collaboration to ensure the country’s continued economic growth in 2025 at the Pilipinas Conference 2024, organized by the Stratbase Group.
Among those who participated in the conference on Thursday were Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, and Trade Secretary Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman also joined the discussion live via zoom.
Key business leaders also took part in the discussions including Ayala Corporation Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, ACCIONA Infrastructure Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jose Diaz-Caneja, Prime Infra President and CEO Guillaume Lucci, Aboitiz InfraCapital President and CEO Cosette Canilao, and Meralco PowerGen Corporation President and CEO Emmanuel Rubio.
Stratbase Group President Dindo Manhit said Pilipinas Conference 2024 aims to advance multi-sectoral collaboration to shape policies that address the complex social, political, and economic challenges affecting the Philippines.
It was also organized in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Stratbase Group.
“The Pilipinas Conference has consistently valued the essential role of the private sector in driving economic growth and sparking innovation. The private sector is not just a stakeholder; it is a powerhouse of resources, ideas, and dynamism, all of which are crucial to our mission of sustainable and inclusive prosperity,” Manhit explained.
“The government sets the direction and creates the enabling environment, while the private sector brings in the capital, innovation, and efficiency needed to implement large-scale projects and be a reliable driver for new industries that support a multitude of linked businesses. Together, government and the private sector can build a more resilient and competitive economy, addressing both immediate challenges and long-term goals,” he added.
During the conference, Lotilla and Loyzaga sat in a panel with leaders from the energy sector to talk about the country’s transition to clean energy and green industries.
They discussed the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration among the government, the private sector, and even the international community, who also participated in the conference.
Among those present were Canadian Ambassador David Hartman, Danish Ambassador Franz-Michael Melbin, Spanish Ambassador Miguel Utray, Israeli Ambassador Ian Fluss, and New Zealand Ambassador Catherine McIntosh.
Lotilla noted that part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s energy diplomacy is to ensure the Philippines work with our partners in the international community to pursue different pathways for producing sustainable aviation fuel in the country, as well as other biofuels.
“Ambassador Melbin was just here discussing some potential sources, including the use of banana waste from plantations, as these banana stocks that are wasted can be potential sources of sustainable aviation fuel and biofuels,” Lotilla said.
“I hope that you and the private sector will continue to explore opportunities for investing in these different sources of energy toward a cleaner and sustainable future that will also be fairly priced for our people,” he added.
Loyzaga said they Department of Environment and Natural Resources is proactively working with various sectors following the acceleration of demand for transition critical minerals amidst the impact of climate change in the country.
“We are set to release areas with high mineral potential for exploration through competitive bidding by early 2025. These initiatives are only the beginning as we address legacy issues related to this sector,” Loyzaga said.
“We hope to generate more jobs, green jobs and push this sector’s contribution to GDP upwards from the 0.5% it currently is contributing, while advancing as well our climate and disaster resilience goals,” she added.
To encourage investor confidence in the country, Pangandaman talked about how the New Government Procurement Act, the biggest anti-corrruption measure in modern times, can help significantly reduce, if not eliminate, bottlenecks in the procurement process.
The new measure includes transparency provisions that require disclosure of data and documents and stronger public participation at all stages of procurement.
“We know that this reform agenda will only succeed through collaborative governance and a whole-of-society approach. Let us all work together to foster a strong and efficient procurement system,” Pangandaman said. ###