Good afternoon, everyone. [Please take your seats]

I would just like to greet some of our guests here who are with us this afternoon.

Part of the delegation is our Speaker of the House of Representatives, Speaker Martin Romualdez; the members of the diplomatic corps, especially our own Philippine ambassador, Mylene Garcia-Albano; Trade Secretary, Secretary Alfred Pascual; ASEAN-Japan Center Secretary, General Hirabayashi Kunihiko; and of course, my greeting would not be complete if I do not include our First Lady, Liza Araneta-Marcos, [applause] I’m sorry I missed the fashion show. They told me we’re going to be part of the— you were one of the models; ladies and gentlemen; distinguished guests; and esteemed participants,

I am honored to stand before you today as we gather at the “Creative & Sustainable Economy Through Innovation Event,” organized by the Department of Trade and Industry’s Philippine Trade and Investment Center here in Tokyo, on the sidelines of the Commemorative Summit of the 50th year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

This event is not just a testament to the strong bonds between the Philippines and Japan, but also of our celebration of a shared commitment to friendship, to cooperation, and the pursuit of economic co-creation in the spirit of the Asia Zero Emissions Community.

The Philippines’ recent engagement in the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or COP28 has pushed for the country’s climate resilience agenda.

In order to address the effects of climate change, we are advocating for collaborations in accelerating climate financing and implementing nature-based solutions.

This activity today displays ways on how we can improve and provide solutions to societal problems sustainably and with innovation.

The theme of the summit, “Friendship and Cooperation,” resonates deeply with the Philippines, as we stand as a staunch advocate of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

The magnitude of the challenge before us is immense; the world requires an annual investment of USD 5.4 [trillion] to achieve the UN SDGs by 2030.

Today, we find ourselves at the inflection point of innovation, creativity, and sustainability. We are at a juncture where the global community must collaborate to secure a brighter and more sustainable future.

Today, we have seen many excellent examples of collaboration between our two countries and these partnerships can significantly contribute toward achieving this goal.

So, as we delve into the heart of this event, I am proud to showcase the Philippines’ commitment to sustainability through our creative and innovation economy.

The data speaks volumes—the impact investment market was USD 1.2 trillion in 2022, the global exports of creative goods and services reached 1.6 trillion in 2020. It is predicted that it will contribute 10% to global GDP by the same year.

Our global investment in the low-carbon energy transition, totaling 1.1 trillion in 2022, with 495 million dedicated to the renewable energy sector, reflects our dedication to a greener and more sustainable future.

The Philippine Creative Economy stands tall as a prime contributor to sustainable economic development. The global creative industries market, estimated at USD 2.6 trillion in 2022, is projected to reach up to 3.4 trillion in 2028, as we intend to increase our share of the pie of these numbers.

One way to accelerate this is by partnering with like-minded countries such as Japan.

In the Philippines, we are not just witnessing economic growth, we are crafting a legacy of innovation, creativity, and sustainability for generations to come.

I am delighted to know that this significant event provides noteworthy opportunities for our Filipino and Japanese collaborators such as Auro, Mitsukoshi, Banana Cloth, Go Lifestyle Group, STYLEM, and Neun Farben in areas of food, lifestyle, retail, textiles, game development and animation.

I extend my appreciation to the Manila Fashion Festival (MFF) and the ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) for your unwavering support to the Department of Trade and Industry through its Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Tokyo for taking the lead in organizing this breakthrough gathering.

I look forward to meeting our Filipino and Japanese collaborators right after this speech and know more about the innovative works and products that we are developing. I anticipate seeing the creations made from banana stem from the Philippines turned into everyday wear and home products through the initiative of our Banana Cloth exhibitor.

Furthermore, it is very exciting to see the results of the partnership between the Go Lifestyle Group from the Philippines and STYLEM Takisada-Osaka Corporation in producing contemporary wear and highly marketable products using indigenous Philippine products with Japanese expertise in traceable textiles.

We will also see the booths of our very own Auro Chocolate and Japan’s retail giant Mitsukoshi, which features premium products using sustainably farmed single-origin cacao beans from Davao and traditional Japanese ingredients such as matcha, hojicha, and miso to create new and exciting flavors and product lines.

In the game development and animation aspect, I also look forward to seeing the works of our Filipino talents in computer animation specializing in Japanese-stylized animation displayed by our exhibitor from Neun Farben of Japan which has established a successful studio in the Philippines.

Allow me also to acknowledge the tireless efforts of our First Lady, who is joining us here today, as she has graciously [applause] assumed the role of patron for indigenous textiles, design services, MSMEs, public health services, and other causes aimed at protecting the environment, supporting many creative projects and innovative enterprises like the ones we have watched here today.

This unwavering commitment is a testament to our shared responsibility in fostering sustainability.

I am very optimistic that this collective effort towards a creative and sustainable economy will foster great opportunities and prosperity for the Philippines and for Japan.

Thank you, and I thank you all for the hard work that you have put in to make this event a resounding success with many positive results for our entrepreneurs for many years to come.

Thank you very much and good afternoon. Domo arigatou gozaimasu.

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