Japanese offshore investors rank Phillipines highly

Japanese investors rate RP high as investment site


By LEE C. CHIPONGIAN

Among Asian countries Japanese investors singled out the Philippines as a favorable location for their offshore investments in the next months, a survey conducted by the Japan External Trade Organization showed.

In its latest Business Sentiment Survey on Japanese companies in the region, JETRO said that second quarter outlook for the Philippines – based on surveyed companies, has turned positive while all others have roused negative sentiments.

"(The Philippines) turned into a positive figure for the first time in three months (while) outlook declined in all countries except for the Philippines," the JETRO survey said. A copy of the survey was sent to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Investors Relations Office.

Among the original ASEAN five, Singapore and Malaysia showed negative figures for three consecutive months.

According to JETRO, "business sentiment among Japanese companies operating in Asia fluctuated among the surveyed regions but the overall (index for the business sentiments) rose for the first time in nine months."

The organization said business sentiment outlook "fluctuated among the regions though overall outlook held steady."

The survey was conducted between April 1 to 7 and the objective is to present business performance and a three-month business outlook. The tally is targetted to all types of Japanese companies operating in ASEAN economies such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

The index of business sentiment is measured by comparing current sentiment with that of the same period of the previous year. Replies are limited to "better, same or worse," which are assigned positive, neutral and negative values, respectively.

In the Philippines, JETRO surveyed 288 Japanese firms with local operations, in Thailand its 211, in Singapore 270, in Indonesia its 187 and lastly, 181 in Malaysia. In total the survey covered 1, 137 companies from only 714 last year.

Manila Bulletin Online