History
In May 2009, the Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) came together to synchronize strategies in investment promotion through a medium-term national marketing plan (2010-2014) dubbed as the Philippine Investments Promotion Plan (PIPP). The Plan laid down the strategies aimed at achieving a world-class brand image for the country within the intertwined approaches of image building, investment generation and investment servicing. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded the project since it is primarily aligned with the agency’s current country developmental assistance agenda. Through representations made by the Board of Investments in 2008, JICA provided the needed technical support and mobilized the technical expertise of Nomura Research Institute for the preparation and completion of the PIPP.
Top executives of the country’s various IPAs gathered at the penthouse of the Board of Investments and signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that set up the mechanism for developing the 2010-2014 PIPP. The signing of MOA signified the commitment to undertake an integrated investment promotional approach that will provide a multi-agency perspective and comprehensive view of the wide array of issues and concerns that beset the current system.
The PIPP project was led by a Steering Committee (SC) headed by the heads of the following IPAs namely : Board of Investments (BOI) Managing Head Elmer C. Hernandez; Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President and CEO Benigno N. Ricafort; Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director- General Lilia B. De Lima; Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) President Narciso L. Abaya; Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) Chairman and CEO Jose Mari B. Ponce; Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) General Manager Reynaldo De Leon Lingat; Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Feliciano G. Salonga; Regional BOI-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Chairman and Managing Head Ishak V. Mastura ; Phividec Industrial Authority Administrator Ms. Nimfa U.Along-Albania; Zamboanga Economic Zone Authority Chairman and Administrator Ms. Georgina P. Yu; and Aurora Special Economic Zone Authority Acting Deputy Administrator Vitaliano T. Sabalo. This committee provided the strategic direction for the project and served as the approving body of all the required reports for the preparation of the final draft.
In a press launch in 2010, the IPAs, led by then DTI Secretary Jesli Lapus, together with CDC President Benigno Ricafort, BOI Managing Head Elmer Hernandez, then unfolded the plan as its commitment to lay down the groundwork for sustainable investments and ensuring favourable business climate in the Philippines. Through the PIPP, the IPAs reinforced its commitment to do investment promotion using harmonized and focused promotional approaches in informing the international business community of the country’s investment advantages.
In December 2010, The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) officially joined the roster of the IPAs, which then totalled to 13, through a Supplemental MOA signed at the BOI Board Room.
During the PIPP SC meeting held on 6 December 2013, the body agreed on the inclusion of four additional IPAs, which were the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC), Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC), and Tourism Promotions Board (TPB).
In a 2014 steering committee meeting, DTI Undersecretary for Trade and Investment Promotion Group (TIPG) Ponciano C. Manalo, Jr. proposed for a clustering among the 17 Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) to offer a comprehensive range of opportunities for existing and potential investors in the Philippines. Afterwhich, the PIPP has been divided into three (3) clusters based on the priority industries, geographic locations and strengths of each IPA namely, the Manufacturing and Logistics, Tourism and Agro Industrial.
In April 2015, Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD) was invited as a special member of the PIPP Technical Working Group to coordinate and provide support to the BCDA, CDC, SBMA and CIAC in investment promotion. Since then, SCAD was invited regularly to the monthly TWG meetings. In March 2017, SCAD signed a MOA and officially became a member during the PIPP Strategic Planning Session held in Zamboanga.
On 20 February 2017, Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) was invited to be 19th member of the PIPP Team. CIAC accepted the invitation on 18 August 2017.
Since the birth of PIPP in 2009, the 19 IPA members have now evolved together as one team synergistically working towards outcomes-based initiatives from formulation of harmonized promotion strategies to the cluster participation in international investment roadshows generating more and better investments for the country.
