The Philippine Embassy in New Zealand reported that Ambassador VirginiaH. Benavidez and Minister Marcos Punsalang met with the representatives of the Canterbury Development Corporation, the Chairman of Prime Foods NZ and representatives of Ballantynes department store on 13 January 2012 and 14 January 2012 respectively. These business meetings were held parallel with Post’s first ever mobile consular mission to Christchurch on 12-14 January.
In her first meeting with Ms. Michaela Blakelock, Business Services Manager, Mr. John Hamilton, Client Manager for Manufacturing, Ms. Lee Sinclair, Client Manager in charge of Technology, Mr. Jim Grennell, Sector Leader for Agribusiness and other representatives of the Canterbury Development Corporation (CDC), Ambassador Benavidez was briefed on the key functions of the CDC which is in charge of planning, implementing, and overseeing development in Christchurch and the Canterbury Region.
They are focused on information technology (IT), manufacturing and agribusiness sectors. Canterbury is unofficially known as the “Silicone Valley” of New Zealand due to its huge IT/software industry, has the second largest electronics factory and is home to New Zealand companies which export high technology such as Hamilton Jet (water jet boats), AW Frasers (bronze and alloy components used in automobiles and industry) and John Deere (agricultural equipment). Noteworthy is the increasing number of Filipinos in the Canterbury region which represents a growing market for New Zealand businesses. Filipino dairy workers are highly regarded and have contributed to the substantial expansion in the dairy industry as seen in the massive dairy farms and milk plants in Canterbury.
Ambassador Benavidez and CDC officials had an active exchange of views and information on the strengths and complementarities of the Philippines and New Zealand to enable both countries to work together to take advantage of opportunities that each country has to offer. She thanked CDC for their recognition of the skills and importance of the Filipino dairy workers and discussed with them the interest of the Philippines in New Zealand’s offshore farming arrangements. Ambassador Benavidez shared with CDC the developments on the Philippine IT/BPO industry. From a US $9 billion industry in 2010, the Philippine IT /BPO is expected to reach its goal to become a US $25 billion industry by 2016. The industry is diversifying with knowledge processing outsourcing (KPO), IT software programming, game development and other higher value BPO services growing faster than voice services. Ambassador Benavidez stated that there are complementarities between the New Zealand IT/Software industry which is very good in research and development while the Philippine IT/BPO industry offers cost effectiveness in voice and non- voice customer services and software development while at the same time could serve as a huge market for New Zealand software applications. Meetings with individual software company and the New Zealand Software Association highlighted the opportunities available in the Philippine IT/BPO industry. The Embassy will link up the CDC with the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) to explore possible partnerships with the Philippine IT/BPO industry. Ambassador Benavidez also informed CDC about the incentives being offered by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to foreign investors who wish to locate their operations in the Philippines. These include a five-year tax free operations of the company for the first five years and a flat 5% gross income tax after the first five years of operations, duty free importation of capital equipment like computers and the granting of permanent residency visa to expatriates and their families, among others. Subsequent discussions focused on possible trade opportunities in the areas of healthcare, the export of kiwi fruit to the Philippines, production of Philippine rubber, machining of tools and parts, interest of Philippine companies in investing in Canterbury’s R&D sector and possible exchange of trade mission between the two countries. CDC likewise informed Ambassador Benavidez that the rebuilding of Christchurch in the near future would need 30,000 workers and that the Philippines could be among the sources of much needed talent and work force for this endeavor. Interested Philippine companies can partner with local companies which are being given priority in Christchurch’s long-term development. The CDC website will have updates which can be accessed by interested individuals and companies in the projects in Christchurch.
A separate meeting was held with Mr. Henry Studholme, Chairman of the Big Glory Bay Salmon and Seafood Company, Inc. and CEO of Prime Foods NZ Ltd. and Mr. Craig Latimer, Sector Manager Food and Beverage, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. Prime Foods NZ Ltd. entered into a partnership with Mr. Jonathan Dee, President of Alliance Select Foods International, a tuna company based in General Santos City. The partnership led to the establishment of a joint venture company, Big Glory Bay Salmon and Seafood Company Inc. which has a salmon processing plant in General Santos City. The salmon is sourced from New Zealand and smoked in the plant for distribution to regional and international markets. Mr. Studholme said that the company in General Santos city is doing very well. Ambassador Benavidez invited Mr. Studhome to be part of the delegation from New Zealand led by Mr. Phil O’ Reilly, Chief Executive of Business New Zealand to attend the Business Forum being organized by the ASEAN Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (AANZCHAM) in the Philippines on 27-28 February 2012.
Ambassador Benavidez and Minister Punsalang likewise met with Mr. Richard Ballantyne and Ms. Mary Devine, Director and Managing Director respectively, of Ballantynes department store on 14 January 2012. Ballantynes is one of the premiere department stores in New Zealand and markets upscale products. Mr. Ballantyne said that their department store used to import quality Philippine rattan furniture and reiterated his interest to source more beautiful furnitures, paper products and other household items from the Philippines as he was able to see many of them at the annual Manila Fame Exhibition. Mr. Ballantyne informed Ambassador Benavidez that their company needed a purchase agent in the Philippines who could source products for them. Ambassador Benavidez thanked Mr. Ballantyne and Ms. Devine for their renewed interest in importing Philippine furniture and other products and offered assistance in facilitating contacts with the relevant agencies and companies in the Philippines for its importation arrangements. She presented to them a pamphlet about the Manila Fame Exhibit to be held in 14-17 March 2012 at the SMX Center, Pasay City and a CD entitled “Trade Associations Directory: 2010” She informed Mr. Ballantyne that the annual ManilaFame Exhibit is fast becoming known as the “Milan of Asia” due to the beauty and originality of a wide range of Philippine products.
Prospects for business partnerships between the Philippines and New Zealand are bright in key areas in IT/BPO, high quality seafood and other food products, furnitures and furnishings as well as construction, manpower resources and related projects urgently needed in the rebuilding and future development of Christchurch.