Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Acting Secretary Cristina Roque recently met with several companies in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to boost Philippine exports and discuss potential investments.

In a release on Monday, DTI said Roque met with Sirius International Holding on Nov. 9 to discuss potential investments in the Philippine digital economy.

The meeting is part of DTI’s efforts towards realizing a “Bagong Pilipinas,” which emphasizes a forward-looking, inclusive, and sustainable approach to national development.

“To achieve this vision, the DTI pursues high-value investments to boost the country’s technological capabilities,” the DTI said.

Sirius International Holding is a subsidiary of IHC, the second-largest holding company in the region, next to Saudi Aramco.

The company manages investments in technology sectors across various industries, including fishery, nuclear power plants, construction, healthcare, and hospitality, among others.

In a separate release late Sunday, DTI said Roque also met with senior executives of Spinneys on Nov. 9 to collaborate and enhance the retail sector in the UAE.

The discussion also focused on bringing more Philippine small and medium enterprises (SMEs) products to be sold in their supermarkets.

Spinneys is a leading supermarket chain in the UAE.

During the meeting, Roque reaffirmed to Spinneys that the DTI would introduce them to qualified SMEs ready to export to the Middle East market.

Aside from these companies, Roque also met with representatives from Lulu Group International, a leading multinational conglomerate.

The company, which operates 258 stores across the UAE, has already established a logistics and export center in Laguna.

During the meeting, Lulu representatives expressed their intent to increase their procurement of SME products.

The DTI said that to formalize this partnership, both parties agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding or agreement. (PNA)