By Alec Go
The Philippines has secured around P9.8 billion worth of investments from Europe, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced in his arrival speech on Thursday evening, Dec. 15, following his three-day trip in Brussels, Belgium.
Marcos considered his trip to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-European Union (EU) Commemorative Summit as a success, saying that this will result in the creation of more jobs in the Philippines.
“I am also pleased to announce that European business confidence in the Philippines is high as evidenced by the expansion plans of European companies that we met in the sectors of fast-moving consumer goods, in shipbuilding, renewable energy, and green metals,” he said.
“An estimated investment pledge of around P9.8 B has been received,” he added.
Malacañang earlier shared that the Philippines has secured a P4.7 billion worth of investment from multinational consumer goods company Unilever, while French shipbuilding firm OCEA S.A. is set to push through with its P1.5-billion shipyard development in the Philippines.
From the shipbuilding firm’s investment, around 500 to 600 indirect jobs are expected to be generated.
Marcos also had meetings with European business leaders, whom he said have “committed to be a part of our development and our economic growth, particularly in renewable energy, infrastructure, food security, [and] climate change initiatives.”
“As a final note, I am delighted that my first visit to Europe, in Brussels in particular, which has the seats of the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and the European Council, is a successful one, and I can see how the outcomes of my visit will generate opportunities for the benefit of the Filipino people,” he said.
He also announced that some top European shipowners have pledged to help the Philippines address the challenges on seafarers’ European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) accreditation.
The chief executive said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has committed that the commission will help the Philippines “to remedy all the deficiencies that EMSA has been pointing out” within the three-month deadline.
