Aboitiz Infra lures more firms in Batangas industrial estate

MANILA, Philippines — Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates has lured more foreign investors into the country as more locators continue to set up production hubs in its industrial estate in Batangas.

For one, China-based Grandsun Advanced Electronics has invested over P3 billion to expand its manufacturing capabilities with two additional audio devices factories by 2025 inside the LIMA Estate in Malvar, Batangas.

Shenzhen-based Steelwell Industrial Hardware has committed to invest P300 million to put up a 1.5-hectare manufacturing facility within the industrial estate.

The Aboitiz Group’s industrial estate operator recently organized investment roadshows in China, joining forces with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Beijing, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Board of Investments (BOI) and Prime International Consultancy Corp.

The Philippine-China Investment Forum brought together over 120 investors from different industries including electronics, automotive, renewable energy, food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals, among many others.

Rafael Fernandez de Mesa, head of Aboitiz InfraCapital said the goal is to position the Philippines as a preferred investment destination in the region.

“The resounding success of our recent roadshows in China validate interest in the Philippines and hold high promise that investment will materialize,” De Mesa said.

BOI Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said the Philippines continues to be a haven for Chinese investors interested in smart manufacturing as well as research and development (R&D) activities.

Rodolfo cited the country’s integral role in global supply chains, highly skilled English-speaking workforce, as well as robust and stable economic growth compared to neighbors in ASEAN.

Rodolfo said DTI is actively positioning the Philippines as a regional hub among Chinese businesses engaged in renewable energy, electric vehicles, advanced high-tech manufacturing, semiconductor assembly and testing, high-tech agriculture, and telecommunications.

Beyond the investment prospects, both nations have complementary and strong alignment particularly in terms of the Philippines’ potential in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and green metals, buoyed by China’s advanced technological expertise.

Latest data from PEZA showed Chinese investors had already poured in P25.822 billion into the country’s economic zones as of May 2023.

Aboitiz InfraCapital caters to a wide range of businesses and communities.

Its current portfolio includes the 826-hectare LIMA Estate in Lipa-Malvar, Batangas, the 63-hectare Mactan Economic Zone 2 Estate, and the 540-hectare West Cebu Estate in Cebu.