Bahrain upbeat on RP construction sector

By Estrella Torres
Reporter

THE Prime Minister of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, was upbeat in exploring business potentials with the Philippine architects and engineers for the construction and services sector in the oil-rich nation.
           
The Philippine ambassador to Bahrain, Eduard Pablo Maglaya, said the optimism of the Bahrain leader was expressed after a team of Filipino engineers and architects ended a trade mission for the construction-materials and services sector.
           
The Philippines’ services sector is eyeing the Middle East market for services trade in the construction of high-rise buildings and infrastructure. This is due to the policies of Western countries that restrict the entry of foreign workers as part of their counterterrorism measures.
           
The nine-member delegation met with Prime Minister of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalifa bin Salam al-Khalifa, at the Gudabaiya Palace last week.
           
“His Highness hoped for an increase in the exchange of visits of businessmen between the Kingdom and the Philippines, and expressed his fondness for the Philippines as shown by the several visits His Highness has made to the country from 2001 to present,” said Maglaya. He said the delegation also met with Samir Nass, chairman of the construction committee of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). The group also visited landmark sites like Ritz Carlton, Gulf Hotel, Bahrain Investors Center, Aluminum Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain Financial Harbor and the World Trade Center.
           
Maglaya also said the Bahraini leader also conveyed appreciation of the great contribution of the 30,000 Filipino workers in the development of the Kingdom.
           
The delegation is composed of members of the Bahrain-Philippine Business Council and officers of several companies like TMC International Corp., Grace Park International and Mardeka Stone Development Corp.
           
At the UN Committee on Trade and Development (Unctad) in Geneva, the Philippines was elected as chairman of the Expert’s Meeting on Universal Access to Services.
           
Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga of the Philippine Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) underscored “that services liberalization should be accompanied by sound macroeconomic management and appropriate regulation and supervision.”
           
Philippine permanent representative Enrique Manalo, meanwhile, said access to essential services would also be crucial for reducing economic gaps between countries and between the different segments of the population as well as easing poverty.

Business Mirror

November 22, 2006