The Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) joined senior industry leaders in Asia in the recent Asia Finance Summit 2015 on April 21, 2015 at Makati Diamond Residence, Makati City.

The summit aims to discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by Southeast Asia’s fastest growing economy.

The event was well-attended as it registered over a hundred participants from various private sector representatives, media partners and business practitioners.

“This event is just timely as the agency (Bangsamoro Development Agency) is about to publish the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP) integrative report this month. While we are preparing for the conduct of the BDP roadshow, it is just right to reach out potential partners who shall help the Bangsamoro pump prime just economy”, said executive director Dr. Mohammad Yacob.

Yacob further said that “private sector is the engine of growth in the country.”

Asia Finance Summit discussed the most important fundamentals of the local and global economy. It clarified if the country is over-exposed to a frenzied real estate market, if the sky-high stock market over-heated or just where it should be, checked if aging sectors like BPO and remittances continue driving economic growth, attempted to answer if there any new sectors to continue powering the economy ahead, and then discussed if tourism, manufacturing or agri-business will ever be growth sectors again.

During the summit, Department of Finance undersecretary Gil Beltran reported that the country’s GDP growth rate is currently at 6.3%. He said that it will probably hit 7-8% mark for the next two years. It coincides with the Asian Development Bank’s forecast that GDP in 2015 will reach 6.4% and 6.3% by 2016.

Beltran also said that the country economy, based on the GDP rate thus far, is just next to China.

“If the Bangsamoro will be given an opportunity to catch up through the implementation priority projects identified in the BDP, it shall help boost the current economic status of the country”, Yacob added.

Also present during the summit was BDA program head Engr. Windel Diangcalan.

Asia CEO Forum is considered one of the most important business networking events in the Southeast Asian region. The forum serves as a hub for the spreading of ideas that help executive managers overseeing enterprises across the Asia Pacific region. It is operated by Chalre Associates to promote Philippines as a premier business destination.