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The Philippines has invited French companies to explore investment opportunities in key growth sectors ahead of the Business Mission to the Philippines organized by Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) International), scheduled for November 3 to 5.
At the France-Philippines Business Council Meeting, Philippine officials highlighted priority investment areas aligned with the government’s Build Better More program. These includes infrastructure, energy diversification, agrifood and food security, and security and defense.
The meeting, chaired by MEDEF International Deputy CEO Géraldine Lemble, aimed to encourage more French companies to join the upcoming mission. MEDEF, a non-profit association representing over 170,000 private French firms, expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation with the Philippines in these sectors.
In his remarks, Philippine Ambassador to France Eduardo José de Vega urged French investors to seize the opportunity to enter the Philippine market, citing recent reforms such as the CREATE MORE Act, Green Lanes for Strategic Investments, and the Investors’ Lease Act, which aim to attract and facilitate foreign investments.
De Vega said the Philippines offers a favorable business environment and serves as a strategic partner for MEDEF’s commercial interests in the region. He also encouraged French companies to leverage the momentum of the ongoing Philippines-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, noting that early entrants could benefit once the deal takes effect.
Jérémy Mulate, deputy head for Southeast Asia at the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry, reaffirmed France’s commitment to strengthening bilateral economic ties. He emphasized the importance of and addressing market access issues to support increased French investments in transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, and public works.
The upcoming business mission will be MEDEF’s first visit to the Philippines since 2022. French participants to be joined by representatives from the Philippine Trade and Investment Center.
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