A total of 22 representatives from huge American companies will be visiting the country this 11 and 12 March 2024 to participate in the United States Presidential Trade and Investment Mission, which was announced during the expanded bilateral meeting of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and United States President Joe Biden at the White House in May 2023.

In a press briefing on Friday, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said these 22 American company representatives will join US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

As described in the White House's fact sheet on “Investing in the Special Friendship and Alliance Between the United States and the Philippines,” the purpose of the PTIM is to enhance US companies' investment in the Philippines' innovation economy, its clean energy transition and critical minerals sector, and the food security of its people.

Representing the US power sector, joining Raimondo, are GreenFire Energy Inc. president Steven Brown; Sol-Go chairman of the board and chief executive officer Scott McHugo; Marquis co-founder, vice president and director of marketing Thomas Marquis; and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. founder and CEO Francesco Venneri.

Besides electric firms, US firms that will be part of the trade and investment mission include digital and technology firms such as Google, to be led by its Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier vice president Sapna Chadha; Microsoft Corp.’s Office of the President Global Strategic Initiatives vice president Mary Snapp; UltraPass ID co-founder and CEO Eric Starr; InnovationForce founder and CEO Kimberly Getgen; and EchoStar/DISH co-founder and chairman of the board Charlie Ergen.

Also, senior officials of card payment service providers will join in the US mission here including Visa Inc. Asia Pacific chairman Chris Clark and Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth founder and president and EVP for Sustainability Shamina Singh.

Further, United Airlines president Brett Hart will also be coming, following the company’s announcement of a new route — Tokyo-Narita to Cebu, starting 31 July.

Meanwhile, US logistics companies FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS) will be represented by their Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa Region president Kawal Preet, and EVP and chief corporate affairs and sustainability officer Laura Lane, respectively.

Other members of the delegation are Capital One Philippines president Sara Murphy, Black & Veatch Corp. Asia Pacific and India president Narsingh Chaudhary, Boston Consulting Group global chairman Rich Lesser, Bechtel East Asia and Pacific regional president Anne-Marie Padgett, and KKR head of Asia Pacific Infrastructure and co-head of KKR Asia Pacific David Luboff.

Welcoming Raimondo’s delegation are DTI Secretary Pascual and Secretary Frederick D. Go, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs.