US firms to Aquino: PH ‘preferred’ investment site, talent source

MANILA, Philippines – Three major US firms have expressed their “preference” for the Philippines as an investment site and source of talent during meetings with President Benigno Aquino III in Los Angeles, Malacañang said on Thursday, February 18.

Palace Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said executives of Walt Disney International, Western Digital Corporation, and AECOM’s Enterprise Growth Solutions expressed this sentiment in separate meetings with Aquino, who was in California primarily to attend the ASEAN-United States Summit in Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage.

“All 3 companies signified to the President their top-of-mind preference for the Philippines as an investment venue and source of high-quality talent and for Philippine organizations as business partners,” said Coloma, who joined the President in the meetings held on Wednesday, February 17 (Philippine time.)

Coloma said Walt Disney chairman Andy Bird told Aquino of the possibility of tapping more Filipinos to join its pool of talents.

Bird cited Filipinos in Disney, among them, Ronnie del Carmen, co-director of Pixar’s Inside Out;  Bobby Pontillas, one of the animators of Disney’s Frozen; Armand Serrano, a visual development artist who worked on Mulan, Tarzan, and Big Hero 6, among others; and Gini Santos, an animator involved in Pixar’s The Incredibles.

Bird also cited Disney’s commercial partnerships with big Philippine corporations, such as the SM Group and Globe Telecoms.

Participation in infra projects

Officials of AECOM’s Enterprise Growth Solutions “pledged to continue to participate actively in large infrastructure projects” in the Philippines during their meeting with Aquino, Coloma said.

Michael Donnelly, group president for AECOM’s Enterprise Growth Solutions was joined by Alma Madrazo, Philippines country leader; and Hugh Doyle, president for international development.

AECOM employs 1,230 Filipinos in its global operations and over a 1,000 more in its Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Philippine operations.

In his meeting with executives of Western Digital Corporation (WDC), Aquino thanked the company for employing over 10,000 Filipinos in its Philippine operations. WDC is a global provider of solutions for the collection, storage, management, protection and use of digital content.

According to Coloma, WDC chief executive officer Stephen Milligan told the President that since 1994, their company has been a highly satisfied locator in the country’s export zones. – Rappler.com