(FORUM BIGWIGS. (L-R) Leslie Cham, Rowena Pangilinan, Prof. Victor Andres Manhit (Stratbase Group Founder & Managing Director), Alfonso Salcedo Jr. (Security Bank President & CEO), Robert Dan Roces (Security Bank Chief Economist), Calixto Chilpancingo (Foundation for Economic Freedom Political Economist & President), Jorge Lindley Ong and Ronald Austria.)
CLARK FREEPORT – Some 200 Luzon-based entrepreneurs, chief financial officers and treasurers from various industries gathered at the Clark Marriot Hotel here on Thursday for the first Economic Forum organized by Security Bank.
The forum is part of a series of meetings that the Bank will organize to reach clients in key investment cities around the country. Security Bank will host various symposia in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao within the first half of 2019.
“After attending the forum, we expect participants to have a clearer understanding of the prevailing issues and challenges that businesses face today. We believe that Clark is the best city to launch our first economic forum this year since it is an exciting time for this booming city. We are watching the future being built here,” said Security Bank President & CEO Alfonso L. Salcedo, Jr.
Pampanga’s evident growth performance in recent years reinforced Central Luzon’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth. This economic productivity puts the area in the best position to become the next economic center of the country.
Recognizing the blurred borders between politics and business, Security Bank has invited analysts and thought leaders to provide indepth discussion of macro and micro economic trends and political issues in the Philippines, underlining the dynamics between policies and decisions that currently shape the country’s economy.
“It has become necessary to know our political landscape and how it can influence economic conditions. Since the economy and the government policy agenda are often intertwined, it is our responsibility to provide an avenue for discussions that will help our clients make wiser business decisions,” said Salcedo.
Meanwhile, Security Bank’s Chief Economist Robert Dan Roces said that Clark continues to be an investment destination for the real estate industry adding that: “Clark has the potential to become a real estate hotspot, in congruence with the developments in the New Clark City. All the infrastructure support systems are in place along with the absorptive capacity for new businesses and tourism. In addition, Central Luzon can leverage the expected increase in tourist arrivals this year as it is set to host the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.”
The upcoming midterm elections also inspired Security Bank to invite political analysts to provide an interesting discussion on how the changing political landscape will affect the economy. Substantial local issues such as inflation, agricultural performance and exports-imports will also be tackled in the forum.
The roster of experts includes NEDA Regional Director Leon Dacanay Jr.; CalixtoChikiamco, President of the Foundation for Economic Freedom; Professor Victor Andres C. Manhit, Founder &Managing Director of Stratbase Group; and Robert Dan Roces, Chief Economist of Security Bank.
Security Bank Corporation organizes a series of fora to provide relevant business and economic information to its corporate, treasury, commercial and retail banking customers nationwide. This is the first forum to be held in Clark, Pampanga with other symposia slated in different key cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
