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20 October 2011---The Philippine
Embassy and the Philippine Honorary
Consulate in Lahore conducted the
first back-to-back seminar on trade
and tourism promotion in the Punjabi
capital of Lahore City.
The day kicked off early morning
with a meeting between Embassy
officials led by Ambassador Jesus I.
Yabes and the Executive Committee of
the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (LCCI) headed by its
President, Mr. Irfan Qaiser Sheikh,
at the LCCI headquarters. Ambassador
Yabes was joined by Philippine
Honorary Consul in Lahore Mr. Rizwan
Fareed; Third Secretary and Vice
Consul Mr. Conrado B. Demdem, Jr.;
New Delhi-based Philippine
Commercial Attaché Mr. Vichael
Angelo D. Roaring; and, Attaché Ms.
Domifel B. Umingli.
In his remarks to the LCCI,
Ambassador Yabes underscored the
significance of holding the meeting
to supplement efforts to enhance
bilateral commercial relations. He
pointed out the need to stimulate
mutual interactions between the
private sectors in the Philippines
and Pakistan to bring about a
multifold increase and qualitative
improvement in bilateral trade. In
concluding, Ambassador Yabes
expressed the hope that the
attendees would come out of the
forum “more determined” in
unleashing the potentials of
PH-Pakistan trade relations.
Philippine
Ambassador Jesus I. Yabes (6th
from R) and Lahore Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (LCCI)
President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh (7th
from R) posed for a photo-op
together with Philippine Embassy
delegates and officers of the
Executive Committee of the LCCI.
Furthermore, Mr. Roaring briefed the
Chamber on trade and investment
opportunities between the
Philippines and Pakistan. He cited
agricultural and food products, as
well as automotive components and
electrical materials for possible
exports to Pakistan. For investment
cooperation between the two
countries, Mr. Roaring identified
key areas, such as mining, energy,
infrastructure, information
technology, and education, where
joint ventures could be established.
In the afternoon, Embassy officials
hosted a tourism-promotion seminar
at the Hospitality Inn, and engaged
more than two dozen travel operators
and agencies. Third Secretary and
Vice Consul Conrado B. Demdem, Jr.
gave a comprehensive, multi-media
presentation on Philippine tourism,
entitled “Philippines: More than
the Usual,” with a view to
enticing Pakistani tour operators to
consider the Philippines as an
alternative tourist destination for
Pakistani travelers going to
Southeast and East Asia. During the
presentation, the participants were
provided a rare glimpse of what to
experience and see in the
Philippines, including the bustling
cities of Manila and Cebu, the
picturesque and world-class beaches
of Boracay and Bohol, as well as the
famous eco-spots in Palawan.
Third Secretary and Vice Consul
Conrado B. Demdem, Jr. delivers a
multimedia presentation on
Philippine Tourism before travel
operators and agencies in Lahore.
 
The presentation was followed by an
interactive session in which topics
like visa facilitation, travel
packages, and the possibility of
conducting familiarization tours
were discussed.
To cap the successful one-day event,
the Philippine Honorary Consulate in
Lahore organized a high-tea for
Embassy officials and guests. END |