Filipinos based in the UAE play a major role in the growth of both the UAE and Philippine economies.
Dr. Karen Remo, CEO and Managing Director, New Perspective Media Group, publisher of The Filipino Times, underscored that the Filipinos are the third-largest expatriate community in the UAE and that their positive consumer behavior and growing purchasing power are driving the growth of the UAE, as they spend locally and of the Philippines, as they continue to send remittances and actual goods through care boxes.
“Filipinos are happy people – and this is shown through their consumption habits as they purchase products and services not just for themselves here in the UAE, but also for family and friends back home in the Philippines. Our growing community of nearly a million Filipinos in the UAE are amongst top consumers and senders of money and gifts through balikbayan(care) boxes, especially during the Christmas season,” explained Dr. Remo.
Dr. Remo explained that OFW remittances from the UAE and around the world is one of the top three GDP contributors in the Philippines, alongside tourism and BPO. Remittances to the Philippines touched $20.38billion (Php 1 trillion) as of August 2021, citing data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Of this number, $852 million or Php 43.2 billion came from Filipinos in the UAE.
In an interview with Dubai TV, Dr. Remo also added that the ongoing Expo 2020 Dubai serves as an important platform for the Philippines to connect investors from the UAE to the Philippines and vice versa.
“The platform of Expo 2020 Dubai will not only share the story of the Filipinos with the world, it will also increase exports and improve trade between the UAE and the Philippines,” said Dr. Remo in her interview at “Expo Morning Show”.
Dr. Remo further explained that businesses can leverage Expo 2020 as an opportunity to market themselves and connect with both public and private entities in the region.
“Expo 2020 is a massive opportunity for all of us to meet the 190 countries in the Expo, this is definitely a big opportunity. For us as a company, it is a wonderful platform to showcase our company New Perspective Media and The Filipino Times, our products and services to governments and private companies. It’s a good opportunity for the world to penetrate not only the Middle East but also north Africa and South Asia through Dubai,” said Dr. Remo.
She is likewise optimistic that the Philippines pavilion will entice more tourists to explore the Philippines as it eases restrictions in the coming months.
“The Philippines is known for its island beaches. Visitors will find that some of the world’s top islands and beaches are in the Philippines. The Philippines has so much to offer – its tourism, our products, our people, and we believe that there will be a lot of collaborations between the Philippines and the world,” said Dr. Remo.
Under the banner of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” theme, Expo 2020 Dubai runs from 1st October 2021 to 31st March 2022, gathering more than 200 participants including 192 countries. Ticket prices to Expo 2020start from AED 95.
The Philippines’pavilion, Bangkóta, is the story of every Filipino. It brings together an ensemble of the finest Filipino artists and talents in a variety of artistic facets to mount an epic symphony of nature, art, architecture, and a story of the Filipinos’ 4,000-year journey of cultural sustainability. It is divided into several areas that each mark a different yet interconnected visual experience for the visitors.
Watch the interview here:
