Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Ray Reyes on Wednesday said the 90-percent increase in the country’s foreign direct investments (FDIs) proves that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s official trips abroad benefit the Philippine economy.

“As I have said time and again, PBBM is our country’s chief salesman and he is doing a very good job at it. The results speak for itself,” Reyes said in a statement. “What we see is only the beginning and we look forward to more investments this year.”

Reyes cited Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s (BSP) report that the Philippines reached USD907 million in net FDI in January 2024, an increase of 89.9 percent over the same month last year.

Japan was the leading source of FDI in January, accounting for 69 percent of the total while the United States followed closely at 19 percent, he said.

“This is no coincidence because the President met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other ASEAN leaders in Tokyo last December,” he said.

He said President Marcos’ critics should put all doubt to rest and admit that his international engagements are indeed vital to support the country’s development agenda.

Earlier this month, President Marcos was in Washington, D.C. for a trilateral summit with Kishida and United States President Joe Biden.

“All of us in the House of Representatives are committed to do our part in ensuring the passage of laws that will safeguard our territorial integrity and improve the lives of the Filipino people,” Reyes said. (PNA)