Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui, Mayor of Kauai Bernard P. Carvalho, Philippine Consul General to Hawaii Gina A. Jamoralin and Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH) President Paul G. Alimbuyao will travel to the Philippines from 7 to 17 February 2015 to lead the 25th Trade Mission of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH).

The delegation is comprised of almost forty (40) individuals from Hawaii’s business, banking and government sectors and leaders from major Filipino communities in the Aloha State. 

“I would like to thank the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii for fostering a vibrant economic activity between Honolulu and the Philippines and for its contributions in building our local economy and strengthening the ties that already exists between the Philippines and Hawaii. This visit also coincides with the Philippine Department of Tourism’s ‘Visit the Philippines 2015’ campaign and the Philippine Chairmanship of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) this year. There is no more opportune time to sustain economic activities than this year 2015,” Consul General Jamoralin said in a statement.

This 25th Trade Mission will revolve around the theme, “Strengthening business links with the Philippines” in recognition of the need to expand commercial ties between the Philippines and Hawaii. The Trade Mission will take the delegation to Manila, Camarines Norte, Cebu and Palawan to explore business opportunities and establish people-to-people links in enhancing the partnership between the Philippines and the Aloha State.

Available data from USA Trade Online of the Foreign Trade Division of the US Census Bureau show that total two-way trade between the Philippines and Hawaii for 2013 is nearly US$33million , with fish and marine products; food and kindred products; and miscellaneous manufactured commodities as the top 3 Philippine exports to Hawaii. The top 3 Hawaii exports to the Philippines are chemicals; waste and scrap; and fish and other marine products.

This year’s delegation will pay courtesy calls on Philippine government officials, including Vice President Jejomar Binay, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Cebu City Governor Hilario Davide III, Palawan Governor Abraham Khalil Mitra, Daet, Camarines Norte Mayor Tito Sarion, Labo, Camarines Norte Mayor Joseph Ascutia, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, and Palawan Mayor Lucilo Bayron. 

Since 1954, the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii has been the voice of Filipino businesses in Hawaii. The organization has broadened opportunities for Filipino entrepreneurs and member businesses, strengthened business links between the Philippines and Hawaii, assisted in the professional growth of its members and supported the well-being of the community. (END)