NEWS AND ARTICLES

Lifted from Fortune magazine, Dec. 2014

Opportunities can arise where you least expect them. With most analysts forecasting that the world economy will continue to slow, investors are searching for new sources of growth. One of the brightest spots on the map has been Southeast Asia, where economies are accelerating faster on average than in most other regions. And in Southeast Asia, no economy is impressing investors more than the Philippines.

“Can the Philippines be the next Asian miracle? I think there is no question that is the case,” said World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

The Philippines has earned that praise. From a solid foundation of stable politics, a sound fiscal position and strong domestic consumption, the Philippines is now enjoying rising exports and a surge in foreign direct investment. The result is an economy that is growing faster than any other in East Asia outside of China.

The Philippines is setting the pace for growth in the region. But can it be sustained? “The long-term growth prospects for the Philippines are among the best in Asia,” said equity strategist Timothy Moe of Goldman Sachs. The country’s sovereign ratings are now firmly investment grade, and its workforce is young, vibrant, bilingual and increasingly educated.

With Southeast Asia very recently inaugurating the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, the Philippines is perfectly positioned to capitalize on free trade in goods, services, labor, and investment in this new market of 600 million people. The region is about to be transformed, and “the Philippines is absolutely at the forefront of this transformation,” Kim said.

To achieve its full potential, the Philippines requires more infrastructure. That represents something investors are looking for – opportunities. Nowhere are opportunities more abundant today than in the Philippines.