Japanese firm signals strong confidence

JTI Philippines moved to its new BGC offices, signaling the firm's "strong vote of confidence" in the Philippine economy and the bright prospects it offers.

JT Group president and CEO Masamichi Terabatake led the formal inauguration of the new offices of JTI Philippines in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, located at the 11th and 12th floors of Ore Central Tower on the corner of 31st Street and 9th Avenue.

Terabatake was joined in the ribbon-cutting ceremony by Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko, Philippine Economic Zone Authority Director-General Tereso Panga, National Tobacco Administration head Belinda Sanchez, and top JTI officials led by Yves Barbier, JTI Asia Pacific Regional president and JTI Philippines General manager John Freda.

In his speech, Terabatake said the relocation to a new office is a "reflection of JTI's success" and an affirmation of the company's belief in the "potential, not only of the Philippines as a market, but especially of its people."

He stressed the story of JTI in the Philippines "underscored the same spirit that identifies the Filipino people so well, that of tenacity and resilience."

Ambassador Koshikawa said the inauguration of the new JTI Philippine office is another milestone for JTI after having built a factory in Batangas, acquired the Mighty business, and opened its own global business services center, which "also signals a strong vote of confidence in the Philippines, underpinning JTI's commitment to creating jobs in support of national development even against the backdrop of the recent pandemic."

For his part, PEZA Director General Panga, who represented Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual in the ceremony, said, "JTI's contributions are crucial as we facilitate the country's overall economic growth and development in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr's bid for the country to graduate to upper middle-income status by 2025."

The new JTI Philippines head office, according to general manager John Freda, marks an essential part of the company's continuous "journey" and "more than being a new physical space, it's a place for collaboration, where everyone can work together as one team and a place that enables employees to bring their best to JTI."

The new space can accommodate the 300+ employees of JTI's head office and its 38 sales branches nationwide. The move is a testament that the company has continued to grow despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Moreover, JTI operates its own business processing office, Global Business Services, in McKinley West, also in Taguig City, which employs 600+ employees, and its manufacturing facilities in Malvar, Batangas, with a workforce of almost 900.