“You may not be aware of it, but Philippine exports to the European Union have increased by 34 percent,” Jensen said in a press conference during the inauguration here yesterday of the new five-story building of the Mercedes Benz Group Services Philippines, Inc. (MBGSP), a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler AG in Germany.
Jensen said the EU investors are unaff ected by negative statements from the President, as he noted that they have always been “driven by business interests, not political statements.’
“I think we have seen enough things going on in the country in the last 18 months that are very interesting,” he said, citing the expansion here of MBGSP on top of its operations in Cebu City.
“They are not diversifying to make sure their operations continue no matter what hurricane hits outside the Philippines and they are doing it within the Philippines,” he said.
“I can imagine the company had different options outside of the Philippines but they chose to be here,” he said.
He said the investors find the adjustment process in the Philippines “very peaceful and short” and that Filipinos share similar values with EU countries.
Jensen described the Philippines as a “medium sized power” and with an economy similar to a medium sized member of the EU.
Only last October, Duterte threatened to expel EU ambassadors within 24 hours, for allegedly threatening to expel the Philippines from the United Nations amid his drug war.
Malacanang later said the statement was mere “expression of outrage” to criticisms by a small group of European lawmakers and aides who visited Manila and expressed objections to Duterte’s war against illegal drugs.
