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The Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. elected its board of trustees and officers for 2024-2025
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Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr. was re-elected president for another term
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Majority of the 17-member board were re-elected during the export trade group’s general membership meeting on January 16
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Ortiz-Luis renewed the group’s commitment to be an advocate for the export industry, the organization and the country
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The group estimates exports will grow by 5% this year, fueled by services led by travel, IT, and BPO
The Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) has elected its board of trustees and officers for 2024-2025, with Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr. re-elected as president for another term.
Majority of the 17-member board were also re-elected during the group’s general membership meeting on January 16, PHILEXPORT said in a statement.
Reelected as trustees were Ortiz-Luis for resource-based sector; Apolinar Aure, housewares; George Barcelon, footwear, leather and travel goods; Oscar Barrera, chemicals sector; Bernardo Benedicto III, metals; Myrna Bituin, furniture; William Co and Enunina Mangio, associate; Ferdinand Ferrer, electronics; Mina Gabor, tourism; Milagros Lacson, holiday decors, gifts and premiums; Cecilia Ramos, fashion accessories and jewelry; Diana Santos, garments; Apolinar Suarez Jr., non-metals; Jon Mykel Teodoro, information technology, products and services; and Robert Young, textiles.
Bryan Ang replaced Francis Chua as trustee for the automotive parts and components sector while William Tiu Lim was elected trustee for the food sector.
New in the corporate officers list is vice chair Ferrer, replacing Co who is now the chair.
The list also included Aure as corporate secretary and Benedicto as treasurer.
Ortiz-Luis said that as they move forward from the election, PHILEXPORT renews its commitment to be an advocate and facilitator of positive developments for the industry, the organization and the country.
He said the group estimates exports will grow 5% this year, fueled by services led by travel, information technology and business process management.
Exports sagged 13.7% to $6.13 billion in November 2023 from a 4.1% contraction in October and 0.6% in September, government data showed.
Ortiz-Luis cited global headwinds that continue to affect demand from major trading partners, particularly the United States and China.
“Part of the needed reforms to help boost exports includes making the country an attractive investment destination, which as we are experiencing, is not only a matter of passing laws,” he said.
Ortiz-Luis noted the country needs to address the volatile exchange rate which hurts exporters and overseas Filipino workers alike, as it steps up to save its export-oriented manufacturing sector.
He acknowledged other critical factors, including labor productivity and electricity costs which currently comprise 20% to 60% of production cost, and the need to urgently address the high cost and ease of doing business issues.
