THE New Zealand Government has named Cebuano entrepreneur Manuel Osmeña as New Zealand’s first honorary consul in Cebu.
In a statement, New Zealand Ambassador David Strachan said Osmeña’s appointment will help deepen the trade and economic partnership between New Zealand and Cebu.
Osmeña is the chairman of the Manny O Group, whose business interests include tourism, airport and airline services, wine and hotel business. He is also chairman and founder of HopeNow Philippines Foundation.
Besides Osmeña, New Zealand has also appointed Vicente Lao as its honorary consul for Mindanao.
Lao’s business interests include agriculture, construction, and the import/export sector. He is currently the chairman of the Mindanao Business Council and chairs the board of the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Business Council.
“The move reflects the growing interest of the New Zealand private sector in opportunities associated with impressive economic growth in Davao and Cebu. We are delighted that Mr. Osmeña and Mr. Lao, two highly respected and dynamic Filipino businesspersons, have agreed to take on these new roles”, said Strachan.
Strachan added New Zealand hopes to deepen its ties with Cebu and Mindanao in the areas of tourism, education and business, among others. He noted that this move will inject greater momentum and enhance diplomatic ties between the two countries.
New Zealand has been supportive of the restoration of agricultural livelihoods in Mindanao, through the Food and Agriculture Organization.
It also keen to explore opportunities for collaboration in Mindanao’s agricultural sector, including in post-harvest technology and biosecurity.
Moreover, Strachan announced they will also extend a humanitarian assistance of P18 million through the World Food Programme to aid victims of the recent Marawi conflict.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Government will also award 24 scholarships annually to Filipinos who wish to pursue post-graduate degrees in New Zealand.
This year, the Embassy prioritized applicants from Cebu and Mindanao, investing in the regions’ youth.
In 2016, the Philippines was the 15th biggest market for New Zealand imports and the fifth in the 10-member Asean bloc.
New Zealand primarily imports bananas and pineapples from the Philippines.