SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr.’s participation at the 2023 World Economic Forum (WEF) is off to a good start.

Earlier, the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement that President Marcos’ investment pitch for the Philippines received “a very positive response:” from some of the world’s top business leaders.

This happened during a dinner Monday hosted for the President by Grab Chairman and CEO Anthony Tan at the sidelines of the WEF.

“This is an auspicious start and bodes well for the success of the President’s mission here at the WEF and that is to position the Philippines as an investment hub and gateway to the Asia-Pacific region,” said Romualdez.

The Speaker, who was present during the dinner, noted that “everyone was excited about the Philippine recovery story and agreed that it is the future investor haven for western capital.”

“I am confident that the President would get the same response as he articulates the gains made under his administration to make the Philippines more investment-friendly,” the Speaker added.

The President is also expected to soft launch the country’s sovereign wealth fund, otherwise known as the Maharlika Investment Fund, at the WEF.

Among those present during the dinner were:

1. Luhut Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs, Republic of Indonesia

2. Andy Jassy, CEO, Amazon

3. Jared Kushner, Founder, Affinity Partners

4. Patrick Foulis, Editor-in-Chief, Economist

5. Alan Jope, CEO, Unilever

6. Bill Ford, CEO, General Atlantic, one of the largest equity firms in the world

7. Molly Ford, Wife of Bill Ford

8. Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Investment, Republic of Indonesia

9. Dr. Bambang Susantono, Chairman of ID New Capital City Authority

10. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Thailand

11. Jaime Bautista, Philippine Secretary of Transportation

12. Arsjad Rasjid, Chairman, KADIN

13. Tony Blair, Executive Chairman, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change

14. Dolf van den Brink, CEO, Heineken

15. Rachel Lord, Head of Asia, BlackRock, one of the largest investment firms in the world.