(The Iraqi business delegation with Councilor Jay Sangil (2nd from left) and CILA President Irineo Alvaro (3rd from right) at Midori Hotel)
Iraqi businessmen took to Clark opportunities in trade and cultural ties as they visited the Freeport on Friday, July 5, establishing potential and unprecedented partnership that would boost so-called people to people engagement.
The Iraqi business delegation was headed by newly appointed Philippine Honorary Consul to Erbil Falah Anwar in a rare visit by businessmen eyeing to establish ties and cooperation with the Philippines through business and cultural ties in Clark.
The visit was arranged by former Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Charge d’ Affaires to Baghdad, Iraq Elmer Cato and Philippine Vice Consul to Iraq Jom Sadie. Cato is now the Philippine Ambassador to Libya.
Consul Falah was joined by Yad Abdul Mahadee (representing Travel), Arsalan Saber (car manufacturing and parts), Pishtiwan Abdul Waheed (bottling) , Karzan Abdulraman (general trading), Hasan Hidayat (general trading), SangarHadi Maulod (education/English schools), and Sherwan Hazan (musical instruments). They are mostly from Kurdistan Region of Iraq. They were given a tour of the Freeport of the Clark Development Corporation.
Consul Falah is a prominent Kurdish businessman with interests in trading, hotel, foreign exchange, among others. He first visited the Freeport and Angeles City in 2017 and was hosted then by Councilor Jesus Sangil.
Meanwhile, the growing people to people engagement which was first pursued by Cato, was underscored during their tour as Clark locators also welcomed the delegation.
Clark Investors and Locators Association Chairman Irineo “Bong” Alvaro, Jr. is set to push for the establishment of Philippine-Kurdistan Friendship and Business Society.
“It will be great to establish ties especially through a formal business and cultural venue where we could forge a partnership and exchange program with Iraqi businessmen,” Alvaro said as he welcomed the delegation at Midori Hotel in Clark.
Alvaro, joined by CILA President Frankie Villanueva in the meeting, was delighted to see recovery of the once war-torn country as he was shown video of new and highly developed townships in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan region of Iraq.
The people to people engagement was started during Cato’s three year tour in Iraq where he actively reached out to the Northern Kurdistan Region which hosted 3000 of the estimated 4000 Filipinos in Iraq.
During his tour of duty in Iraq, Cato has broached the establishment of trade and cultural ties with Alvaro and Clark locators that will also include educational exchanges. With this, Alvaro committed to help Kurdish and Filipino students in an exchange program.
CDC Chairman Jose De Jesus also met with the Iraqi delegation in a brief meeting at Midori Hotel. They met the CILA members today (July 6).
