By U.S. News Agency / Asian

Philips Philippines said they are bullish this year than last year as it enhanced campaigns for its three main sectors: lighting, consumer lifestyle and healthcare.

Rico Gonzales, CEO of Philippines Electronics Philippines, told reporters at the sidelines of the company’s 55th anniversary celebration that business overall has been very upbeat.

Philips itself is looking at better than last year double-digit growth in 2011 on the back of its growing healthcare solutions on top of its broadening market for its lighting and consumer business units.

Gonzales, however, refused to give estimates but said it is better than last year’s double-digit growth rate. Philips is publicly listed abroad and has a very strict disclosure policy.

“It’s a higher double digit growth this year than last year,” Gonzales said.

He said that investors are looking at the Philippines because the administration of the Aquino administration has boosted their confidence that this is a good place to invest.

“That confidence is pushing our growth,” Gonzales said.

Its healthcare solutions department is expected to hug the bigger portion of its operation as the company anticipates strong demand from the establishments of more and new hospitals in the country.

Philips has successfully introduced its healthcare solutions to the world market, offering advanced clinical care systems, home healthcare solutions, patient monitoring and imaging systems.

Gonzales attributed the expansion and improvement of existing hospitals and the building of new ones to the country’s bid to push its medical tourism.

He cited the introduction of the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects, the high consumer spending and the growth in the tourism sector.

For Philips alone, Gonzales said that the infrastructure projects would mean more requirements for lighting fixtures. There is also a big replacement and conversion market into the more energy efficient CFL (compact fluorescent lamps).

The CFL, he said, is getting lots of interest from industrial and retail establishments.

Local government units are also undertaking lots of lighting activities for both indoor and outdoor lighting solutions and they enhance tourism activities in their areas.

Philips has also broadened its lighting portfolio to include Consumer Luminaries line that features functional and stylish light fixtures for residential and professional application.

Originally a lighting company, Philips branched out into the wider electronics business, paving the way for modern innovations such as the compact cassette, the laser disc, the compact disc, the DVD and Blu-ray technology.

“Philips puts its relationship with the Philippines in high regard and sees to it that Filipinos benefit from our technology and the latest findings from our research,” Gonzales said.

Philips has been a prime proponent in the campaign for energy conservation in the country, spearheading educational programs and civic campaigns toward greater environmental awareness.

A number of its campaigns also targets the promotion of wellness and a healthy lifestyle alongside the use of its products.

In the field of medical care, Philips introduced the 256-slice computed axial technology (CT) scanner, the most advanced in the world, in the Philippines even before other developed nations.

Philips began selling lighting products and short wave radio sets in the Philippines in 1920.

As the local market continued to grow, Philips opened an office in the then premier business district of Binondo in Manila in 1956, formally establishing its corporate presence in the country.

After 55 years, Philips maintains its corporate presence in the Philippines as one of the biggest multinational organizations in the country today.

“Philips remains steadfast in its brand promise of sense and simplicity, which sets out to empower our consumers to actively choose a healthier lifestyle and better life experiences,” Gonzales said.