Dismal investment record in the Philippines: Inquirer

People trooping to the Manila baywalk dolomite beach along Roxas boulevard in Manila on Oct 17, 2021. - AFP

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): Despite having a highly-skilled, English-speaking workforce, a favourable geographical location in a region that has seen the fastest growth rates in the world, and efforts to improve the ease of doing business in the country, the Philippines still placed second to last among 14 Asia-Pacific economies in terms of attractiveness to foreign direct investments (FDIs), as ranked by the UK-based think tank Oxford Economics.

In the latest FDI attractiveness scorecard released last Oct 11, the Philippines was ahead only of Taiwan. In first place was China, followed by Vietnam. Oxford Economics cited only the country's weak infrastructure and competitiveness for the low inflow of FDIs.