John Paul B. Inigo, the Commercial Counsellor of Philippines in India says that both Sri Lanka and his country should work towards exploring trade and investment opportunities between the two nations, which currently stands at negligible levels.

He says the potential for trade and investment between the two nations are immense and wanted the Sri Lankan businessman to visit and explore the opportunities offered by his country and wanted the Ceylon Chamber to organise a delegation to visit that country.

Inigo made this request, when he visited the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce during this week, as part of a fact finding mission to Sri Lanka to explore business opportunities.

Speaking during the occasion, Actg. Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, Alikie Perera said, “We are certainly interested in organising a business delegation to Philippines”.

“We can first identify several potential business areas that both nations can get engaged and and then organise a sector specific delegation to visit Philippine,” She further added.

Education, BPO / KPO, Medical, Coconut cultivation are some of the areas that the two parties discussed as potential areas of work.

Lilkashini De Mel, Senior Assistant Secretary General of the Ceylon Chamber and Gayathri Gunaruwan, the Chief Economist of the organisation also took part in the discussion.

Sri Lanka mainly exports Rubber based items, Apparel, Coffee , Tea, Ceramics and Vegetable to Philippines, while it imports items such as Cereals, Wood, Paper Board, Base Metal and Machineries from that country.

However, the trade between the two countries stands at a very negligible level with Sri Lanka’s Exports to Philipines amounting to just US$ 8.16 million in 2013, while Imports from that country to the Island nation accounting for US$ 31 million, during the same year.