On 21 November, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong SAR together with Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Philippine National Bank and the Land Bank of the Philippines conducted a webinar entitled : “Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan Series 8: Continuation of the Presentation About the PERA.

You may re-watch the webinar here if your were unable to attend on 21 November.

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Scaling Up ASEAN Trade Collaboration

As the world continues to change, what is the future of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and Hong Kong’s trade relations with ASEAN Member States? Allan B. Gepty, Assistant Secretary for Industry Development and Trade Policy at the Department of Trade and Industry Philippines, and Brian Lo, Director General of Trade and Industry of Hong Kong S.A.R., share their insights with Angie Lau, Founder of Forkast.News.

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On 19 September 2021, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong SAR (PTIC-HK), together with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong SAR (PCGHK) and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), conducted its seventh Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan (TNK) webinar entitled “Doing Business in Hong Kong 1.0” to help overseas Filipinos navigate the regulatory landscape and seize opportunities to start their own business in Hong Kong on 19 September 2021 via Zoom.

During the opening remarks, Consul General (CG) Raly L. Tejada emphasized that the Philippines and Hong Kong SAR are important trading partners with strong bilateral ties. He cited government statistics that recognize Hong Kong as the Philippines’ fourth largest trading partner just behind China, the United States, and Japan. The Philippines, on the other hand, is Hong Kong’s 13th largest trading partner in 2020.

“With one of the fastest-growing economies in the world plus the help of the 220,000 strong Filipino community who are living and working in Hong Kong I have no doubt that the Philippines – Hong Kong economic partnership will only grow stronger in the coming years,” said CG Tejada.

Three officials from InvestHK, a government unit responsible for attracting foreign direct investment, shared relevant insights related to starting a business in Hong Kong. King Chung Lam, Head of Chamber and Consulate Engagement, presented the tax regime in Hong Kong and went over the prerequisites in establishing a company in the territory. Angelica Leung, Head of Consumer Products, identified e-commerce, physical retail, and sourcing as the three types of business models that overseas Filipino investors (OFIs) may consider when entering the Hong Kong market. Lastly, Sindy Wong, Head of Tourism and Hospitality, explained the process of registering a company as a food importer or distributor and encouraged Filipino companies to set up a presence in Hong Kong and leverage the territory’s strengths as a springboard to expand to Mainland China.

During the question and answer portion, the participants asked about the different initiatives and funding schemes offered by the Hong Kong government. In his closing remarks, Vice Consul (Commercial) Roberto B. Mabalot, Jr. called on OFIs to champion Filipino products in Hong Kong by starting their own businesses.

On 20 June 2021, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) – Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), together with the Philippine Consulate General Hong Kong SAR (PCGHK), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), launched the sixth episode of its Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan (TNK) series with a webinar on reintegration preparedness for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on 22 June 2021 via Zoom.

In the opening remarks, Deputy Consul General (DCG) Germinia Aguilar- Usudan greeted overseas Filipino investors (OFIs) a belated 123rd Independence Day and urged OFIs to listen intently to the speakers to learn relevant information on opening a bank account, investing, saving money, and performing safe online transactions. In addition, she reminded the OFIs that getting a loan is not easy and that being a guarantor may result to the OFI-guarantor paying the full amount of someone else’s debt.

OWWA Hong Kong’s Welfare Attaché Ms. Virsie B. Tamayao introduced the mission, vision, events, and services of National Reintegration Center (NCRO) to the OFIs. Further, she shared various reintegration programs conducted by OWWA to provide guidance to the OFIs on how they can be assisted when they are reintegrated back to the Philippines in the future. LBP’s Overseas Representative Officer, Mr. Francis G. Fellone (Middle East) provided more information regarding the Reintegration Program specifically the requirements to avail of the program. Additionally, he informed the participants about the requirements to open a bank account and introduced LBP’s investment products. In the end of his presentation, he gave many practical tips in ensuring that the OFIs will not be defrauded or scammed when using electronic banking.

The webinar focused on sharing relevant initiatives of various Philippine government agencies to assist OFIs who are considering going back home. It had 260 OFI registrants and gained thousands of views on the simultaneous Facebook livestream.

On 9 May 2021, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong SAR togetherthe Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong SAR, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Hong Kong SAR and the LandBank/Overseas Filipino Bank presents the Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan Series 5: OFBank Digital Banking, Be E-safe!

On 18 October 2020, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas conducted its Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan 2020 Series 1: Presentation About the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA). Consul General Raly L. Tejada gave an Inspirational Message to the Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs). After that Director Jose Recon S. Tano, the Head of the PERA Technical Working Group presented to the OFIs the salient features of the PERA.

Representatives of the three (3) Accredited PERA Administrations namely: ATRAM, BDO and BPI, presented their respective PERA products. The representatives were: the President/Trust Officer and Managing Director of the ATRAM Trust Corporation Mr. Deanno Basas; the Vice President and Lead of Programmed Investments of the BDO – Trust and Investments Group Ms. Marissa Arce Romero; and, the Head of Distribution Channel Management of the BPI Asset Management and Trust Corporation Ms. Suzette T. Bumanglag.

On 25 October 2020, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Macau SAR, Philippine Overseas Labor Office – Macau SAR and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas conducted its Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan 2020 Series 1: Presentation About the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA). Consul General Lilybeth R. Deapera gave an Inspirational Message to the Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs). After that Director Jose Recon S. Tano, the Head of the PERA Technical Working Group presented to the OFIs the salient features of the PERA.

Representatives of the three (3) Accredited PERA Administrators namely: ATRAM, BDO and BPI, presented their respective PERA products. The representatives were: the President/Trust Officer and Managing Director of the ATRAM Trust Corporation Mr. Deanno Basas; the Vice President and Lead of Programmed Investments of the BDO – Trust and Investments Group Ms. Marissa Arce Romero; and, the Head of Distribution Channel Management of the BPI Asset Management and Trust Corporation Ms. Suzette T. Bumanglag. Lastly, the Labor Attache of Macau SAR Atty. Ma. Nena G. German concluded the webinar with a short speech.

On 15 November 2020, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong and the Department of Agriculture conducted its webinar Series 2 about Agribusiness Opportunities. Consul General Atty. Raly L. Tejada gave an Inspirational Message to the Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs). After that Dr. Ramon C Yedra, the Director of the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service of the Department of Agriculture (DA) presented the different Agribusiness Opportunities to our OFIs.

Ms. Jocelyn Alma Badiola, the Executive Director of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council of the DA presented the different financial assistance that the DA can provide. Lastly, the Agriculture Counsellor, Ms. Ana GM B. Abejuela concluded the webinar with a closing remark. A lot of information about the agricultural opportunities were discussed and we hope that our OFIs take part of it.

On 22 November 2020, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Macau SAR, Philippine Overseas Labor Office – Macau SAR and the Department of Agriculture conducted its Trabaho Negosyo Kabuhayan 2020 Series 2: Agribusiness Opportunities.

Consul General Lilybeth R. Deapera gave an Inspirational Message to the Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs). After that Mr. Ramon C. Yedra, the Director of Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service of Department of Agriulture and Ms. Jocelyn Alma Badiola, Executive Director of Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

On 21 March 2021, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong SAR together with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong SAR, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Hong Kong SAR (OWWA) and Philippine National Bank in Hong Kong SAR (PNB) organized a webinar entitled: Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) 2021 Series 3: Bank Account Opening (Philippine National Bank).

During the webinar proper, Consul General Raly L. Tejada emphasized to the participants the importance of saving for their future and using these savings in starting their own business; thus, empowering them. Ms. Katherine E. De Guzman introduced to the participants the PNB, the requirements in opening an account in Hong Kong, the various ways of sending money to the bank account and other loan products of the bank.

During the question-and-answer session, a lot of OFIs asked questions relating to the possibility of transfer of one type of bank account to another type of bank account, opening of a bank account online and other relevant questions. During the conclusion of the webinar, Ms. Virsie B. Tamayao reiterated the reintegration of our OFIs in the Philippines when they come back home and the need for our OFIs to have a steady flow of income from the business that they will have in the Philippines when they get back.

On 18 April 2021, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Hong Kong SAR together with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong SAR, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Hong Kong SAR (OWWA) and BDO Unibank organized a webinar entitled: Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) 2021 Series 4: Bank Account Opening and How to Start Investing (BDO Unibank).

The Deputy Consul General of Hong Kong SAR, Hon. Germinia V. Aguilar-Usudan, opened the webinar by sharing the stories of Overseas Filipino Investors (OFIs) who she encountered in her past postings who worked hard to become business owners. She cited these testimonials to empower the OFIs to believe that they can also have their own business.

Ms. Patricia Alvarillo, the Vice President and Department Head of BDO Trust and Investment Group (Retail Accounts), discussed the basics of trust and the different Unit Investment Trust Funds (UITFs) of BDO Unibank. The participants asked different questions related to investing in the UITF of BDO Unibank.Thereafter, Mr. Joel Almeda, the Senior Assistant Vice President and General Manger of BDO Remit Hong Kong, informed the participants about the requirements to open a bank account in BDO Hong Kong. During the question-and-answer session, the participants asked questions in relation to bank account openings.

Ms. Virsie B. Tamayao, the OWWA Officer in Hong Kong SAR, related the topics discussed in the webinar to the reintegration of our OFIs in the Philippines when they come back home.