MANILA -- Seven of the country’s biggest businessmen are in Davos to support President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s inaugural participation to the 2023 Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Joining the President and his official delegation in Davos are Sabin Aboitiz (Aboitiz); Kevin Andrew Tan (Alliance Global); and Jaime Zobel de Ayala (Ayala Group).

Also in Davos are Lance Gokongwei (JG Summit Holdings); Ramon Ang (San Miguel Corp.); Teresita Sy-Coson (SM Investments); and Enrique Razon (International Container Terminal).

President Marcos and his official delegation, composed of government officials and business leaders, arrived in Switzerland on Sunday afternoon (Sunday evening Philippine time).

The World Economic Forum is hosting a Country Strategy Dialogue for the Philippines where the country is given the opportunity to promote the Philippines as leader and driver of growth and a gateway to the Asia-Pacific region, President Marcos said.

“One that is open for business – ever ready to complement regional and global expansion plans of both foreign and Philippine-based enterprises anchored on the competent and well-educated Filipino workers, the managers and professionals,” the President pointed out.

In an interview with the media en route to Switzerland, the President said he is looking forward to “expanding and expounding” the significant strides achieved by his administration in the question-and-answer event at the WEF.

Aside from the question-and-answer with the audience, the President is also looking forward to the “pull-aside” or “pull-away” meetings on the sidelines of the WEF annual meeting.

President Marcos was invited by Prof. Klaus Schwab, the founder and Chair Emeritus of the WEF, at the sidelines of both the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Phnom Pen, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Bangkok in November last year. (PCO)