ABU DHABI: 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. According to Philippines News Agency, Roque met with Sirius International Holding on November 9 to explore potential investments in the Philippine digital economy. This meeting is part of DTI's efforts towards realizing a "Bagong Pilipinas," emphasizing a forward-looking, inclusive, and sustainable approach to national development. The DTI stated that to achieve this vision, they pursue high-value investments to enhance the country's technological capabilities. Sirius International Holding, a subsidiary of IHC, stands as the second-largest holding company in the region, following Saudi Aramco. The company manages investments in technology sectors across various industries, including fishery, nuclear power plants, construction, healthcare, and hospitality. In a separate release, DTI disclosed that Roque also met with senior executives of Spinneys on November 9 to collaborate and enhance the retail sector in the UAE. The discussions aimed at bringing more Philippine small and medium enterprises (SMEs) products to be sold in their supermarkets. Spinneys is a leading supermarket chain in the UAE, and during the meeting, Roque assured Spinneys that the DTI would introduce them to qualified SMEs ready to export to the Middle East market. Additionally, Roque met with representatives from Lulu Group International, a leading multinational conglomerate. With 258 stores across the UAE, Lulu Group 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. To formalize this partnership, both parties agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding or agreement.