Swiss Chamber Targets Increased Philippine Exports to Switzerland

The Swiss Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (SwissCham Philippines) is actively exploring opportunities to expand the export of Philippine-made products to Switzerland. "I think there's far more exports from Switzerland to the Philippines than from the Philippines to Switzerland," said SwissCham Philippines Chairman Felix Fiechter, emphasizing the chamber's commitment to supporting Filipino companies in their export endeavors to Switzerland. "The Chamber is looking very, very hard for Filipino companies that want to export to Switzerland," he added, indicating that concrete support measures are being considered. Bilateral trade between the Philippines and Switzerland, excluding gold, is projected to reach 520 million Swiss francs in 2025, an increase of 1.36% year-on-year. The chamber expressed optimism regarding Swiss investor interest in the Philippines, with two Swiss firms reportedly considering setting up operations in the country. However, Mr. Fiechter urged the Philippine government to pursue further reforms to improve the quality of the education system. "The biggest issue, I think, for all, is the education system that we badly need to address… I’ve been here for 30 years and the quality of the education system has gone down," he stated, expressing his concerns. Meanwhile, the exit of Swiss cement giant Holcim Philippines is not seen as a factor affecting the overall sentiment of Swiss firms operating in the Philippines.