"We are open for business."
This was the pronouncement of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as he led the opening of the new terminal building of the Clark International Airport in Mabalacat, Pampanga, on September 28.
"This facility is essentially a very strong signal that yes, indeed, we are open for business," he said.
"The simple message that underlay all that we did was that the Philippines is here, we are a good place to invest," he added.
Marcos said the Philippines is ready to go the extra mile to bolster investments, including implementing government and business process reforms.
"We are probably the most vibrant economy that is in Southeast Asia, and we understand the requirements and the needs of our potential investors, and we will do everything so that that partnership becomes to the advantage of both the private sector, the public sector, to the people," he said.
"We just opened a new terminal. It is state-of-the-art, and this is one of the things that we will continue to do in the future to bring you all to come and be partners with the Philippines to help the lives of our people, to help the Philippine economy," he added.
According to the President, this was the message he tried to carry when he traveled to New York last week for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and met with many business leaders and heads of corporations.
Meanwhile, Marcos said that the event was a perfect example of what the public and private sectors can do if they work together, as they can leverage their assets if they have strong collaboration.
He likewise pointed out that the facility will be another building block in the country's thrust to become a logistic center of Asia.
The opening of the 110,000-square-meter new terminal building is part of an effort to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Metro Manila.
The new terminal building would accommodate around eight million passengers yearly, an improvement from the previous 4.2 million passengers a year.
It is also projected to create more jobs, promote vibrant tourism, and advance socioeconomic activities in Central Luzon.