MANILA – Mercado Común del Sur (Mercosur) countries are making the Philippines as their platform to strengthen trade and investments in Southeast Asia.
“We are saying in Mercosur that the best door in Asean is the Philippines,” Mercosur-Asean Chamber of Commerce (Macc) Rodolfo Caffaro Kramer told reporters adding that the Philippines’ culture which is close to Mercosur countries will make it easier to boost economic ties in the region.
Mercosur is a subegional bloc in South America comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. “You are similar to us in a lot of things. I can’t say it to Vietnam or other Asean countries,” Kramer said. Kramer said Mercosur’s business mission in the Philippines signals strong interest to increase the bloc’s trade and investment ties with the country before going to other Asean member nations.
“First come to the Philippines then go to other Asean countries. Here, it’s easier to come to Asean,” he stressed. The Macc president, however, explained that the distance between Mercosur and the Philippines or other Asean member nations has been a challenge to boost business ties.
“We need to work on connectivity,” Kramer said. He added that Macc is in talks with Dubai-based airline Emirates to have direct flights from Mercosur to Asean Macc is also interested to have discussions with Philippine Airlines to offer direct flights to and from Mercosur bloc.
Meanwhile, Kramer mentioned that there are four companies — two medium enterprises, two large firms — in Argentina that are keen in doing business in the Philippines particularly in sectors of food and beverage and medicine, among others. (PNA)
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