PRIME commodities and industries of the Russian Federation will take center stage on Oct. 21-24 when the Philippine Russian Trade Exhibition opens at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City.
This Trade Exhibit showcasing the world-class products of leading companies from the two countries is a major component in this year’s Philippine Russian Business Forum (PRBF).
Following the success of the 1st PRBF last year, which focused on RP-Russia economic relations, organizers decided to include the exhibition in the 2010 event to boost their capacity to facilitate trade between the Philippines and the Russian Federation.
“Tourism is the entry for trade and investment,” Honorary Consul of Russia to the Visayas Armi Lopez Garcia said in last year’s forum. This year, she added, “we take a step further by focusing on trade and investment, and the expansion of tourism.”
Opportunities
The exhibition will serve as an educational point of exchange of cultural and economic backgrounds of both countries. It will showcase the various trade opportunities in both the Philippine and Russian sides.
“We hope to generate more trade opportunities and strengthen relations between Russia and the Philippines through this exhibition,” Garcia said. “This will be a good entry point for the Russians not only to the Philippine market but to the Asean and even the rest of the world, and vice versa.”
Lined up for exhibition are products and services related to tourism and wellness; trade promotion and development; mining and energy; education and culture; labor, placement services and outsourcing; and retirement facilities and real estate development.
Energy
As Russia is known to have the largest reserves of mineral and energy resources in the world and is the world’s leading energy superpower, the visiting exhibitors are expected to bring in new ideas and current trends in the Russian energy market.
Russia also has the world’s largest timber reserves and may likewise promote its wood furniture industry, along with its food products, toys and house wares, jewelry, fashion and accessories, and industrial goods.
Exhibits for tourism and wellness will showcase M.I.C.E. facilities and destinations, tourist attractions, and health and wellness products, as well as medical tourism-
related services.
Various aspects of both Filipino and Russian education, as well as culture, will also be featured in the trade fair, including English language training and arts and crafts.
Matching
Among the highlights of the Philippine Russian Business Forum and Trade Exhibition is the one-on-one business matching and meeting between exhibitors and investors/buyers.
The four-day 2nd Philippine-Russian Business Forum is organized by the Philippine Russian Business Assembly (PRBA), Embassy of the Russian Federation, and the Philippine Exhibits and Themeparks Corp. (PETCO).
It is being held in cooperation with the Province of Cebu, City of Mandaue, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Tourism, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cebu Business Club, and the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (PR)