WEF President Børge Brende (center) and Head of Regional Agenda, Asia-Pacific – WEF Joo-Ok Lee formally welcome Speaker Martin Romualdez at the Congress Center in Davos, Switzerland. (Speaker's office)

The Marcos administration's message to world leaders and business bigwigs at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2024 hasn't changed from last year's event, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said. 

“We want to reiterate the message so it is not lost. We will repeat the message that the Philippines is open for business, we are strong, and we are united,” Romualdez said during the discussions at the welcome lunch for the Philippine delegation held at Hotel Belvedere in Davos, Switzerland. 

Romualdez, arguably President Marcos' top lieutenant in the entire bureaucracy, serves as the head of the Philippine delegation to this year's WEF, which will take place from Jan. 15 to 19. 

He said he wants to continue to impart that the Philippines is open for business and it is the best place in the region for foreign investments. 

Romualdez cited on Tuesday morning Jan. 16 (Philippine time) the sound economic fundamentals of the Philippines, which is located in the fastest-growing region in the world today. 

“(We have) great fundamentals: the macro figures are fantastic. We are in the fastest growing region, we are the bright spot amid the global recession that we are suffering from. And within that bright spot, we look at the Philippines as the best country to invest in,” said the Speaker. 

According to WEF’s 2024 Chief Economist Outlook, most of the chief economists anticipate the weakening of the global economy over the next year. However, the most buoyant economic activity is still expected in Southeast Asia. 

Romualdez noted that the Philippines enjoys a very stable government, with a strong and very popular leader in President Marcos, and who has over four years remaining in his term. 

The House leader also highlighted efforts to make the Philippines more investor-friendly; specifically, the move to relax the restrictive provisions of the 1987 Constitution. 

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https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/15/here-s-what-speaker-romualdez-plans-to-do-at-davos-meeting 

He noted that the Senate, which has been previously reluctant to tackle proposals on constitutional revision,, has initiated the process to introduce changes to the existing Charter.  

On Monday, Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri filed Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 6, which proposed "amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution". 

The measure espouses the notion that the nation’s economic policy must be reframed under the demands of this increasingly globalized age. 

“It would be a welcome development for our trade partners," said Romualdez, who laat year attended the WEF meeting with Marcos.