BIZ BUZZ: Almendras gets lifetime achievement award
Former Secretary Rene Almendras added another feather to his cap after receiving the Arangkada Lifetime Achievement Award from the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines last week.
With the award, JFC acknowledged Almendras’ vast experience in both the public and private sectors, including as Secretary of Energy, Cabinet Secretary, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and various senior leadership roles at the Ayala Group, Citibank, Aboitiz Group and Manila Water.
“Rene Almendras exemplifies the collaborative spirit of the Arangkada Philippines Project. His leadership in both the private and public sectors and his commitment to advancing inclusive economic growth make him truly deserving of this recognition,” the presidents of the JFC said in a joint statement.
As he received the award, Almendras took time to give some advice on fostering trade relations with several countries and crafting relevant policies.
“FTAs (free trade agreements) are now more important than ever. My wish is we accelerate all the pending FTAs that we, the Philippines, have with many, many countries,” Almendras told attendees of the 2025 Arangkada Philippines Investment Forum last week.
Almendras said it was time to come up with relevant policies to address “unique challenges and opportunities” of every industry in the world of geoeconomics from a micro perspective.
“Competitors must come together as industry groups to study, develop and strategize, and advocate for their specific industries,” he said.
He also appealed to the government to adjust policy-making perspectives to increase micro-policy considerations by actively engaging with these groups to resolve economic security and geoeconomic concerns.
May the government and the private sector heed Almendras’ advice, not only to unlock the country’s investment potential but also to overcome today’s daunting challenges.
