Russian businessmen are keen on investing in key industries in the Philippines like banking, tourism, and retirement. They are even interested in major projects under the government’s public-private partnership program.
This is what a group of 16 businessmen found out last month when they met with with their business counterparts from Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The group headed by Armi L. Garcia, honorary consul of the Russian Federation, went on a business mission to Russia last June 14 to 22.
The banking sector in Russia is looking at establishing conduit banks here that will help ease future investments in the country, said Gerry Sta. Ana, Board of Investments governor.
Sta. Ana and Garcia said that the Russians are interested on investing in the country especially on those projects being offered under the public-private partnership program of the government.
“They (Russians) see the Philippines as an investment destination especially that the country is strategic in the Asean region,” said Garcia.
The Russian retirement market is now also looking at the country as a destination where they can set up second homes.
Dipolog is a perfect place for the Russian retirees, said Aneza Adamide, a Russian dive instructor who is in Cebu arranging for a chartered flight for Russians this October.
“They have fresh seafood, the environment and the boulevard, where the people can simply walk around. That’s what they like,” said Garcia.
In Cebu, there are already the Japanese and Chinese retirees who have invested in condominium properties like what Megaworld has done for the Japanese in their Mactan Newtown project.
“The requirement includes a minimum area with an integrated community with activities, facilities and programs for the retirees,” said Sta. Ana.
Garcia said St. Petersburg’s Russian Federation deputy for legislative assembly Evgeny Marchencko has also invited Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III to visit St. Petersburg and revisit the creation of the Road Map for Cebu and St. Petersburg’s Sisterhood Cities partnership.
“Hopefully with this we can already explore more talks like the one on sending nursing aides to St. Petersburg since their government hospital there is interested on hiring our nursing aides,” said Garcia.
Garcia added that they are now also exploring the possibility of Parnas in St. Petersburg to also sign a sisterhood agreement with Dipolog.
ENTRY POINT
Garcia said tourism and culture are the entry points for all these potential partnerships.
“I have always emphasized that tourism is the way to pull them here because they love the people,” said Garcia.
Garcia has been doing Meet Russia Forums in partnership with the Deparment of Tourism.
“We have done forums in Cebu, Bohol and Boracay and done language trainings in Cebu and Bohol because it will be really better if we can speak, read and understand their language,” said Garcia.
About 15 tour guides in Bohol will be graduating this Saturday for the basic Russian language course.
Garcia said she will also conduct Meet Russia Forums and Russian language courses in Dipolog which is also the new destination that they will be promoting.
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