MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said his trip to Belgium was productive and successful after his administration new partnerships and investment pledges.
Marcos attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union Commemorative Summit in Brussels, Belgium this week.
According to the chief executive, an estimated investment of P9.8 billion was pledged to 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,” Marcos said during his arrival speech.
The president added that leading shipowners in Europe committed “to help our country hurdle some of the challenges” with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) standards through the creation of an advisory board.
During his Brussels trip, Marcos met with his counterparts from the European Council, European Commission, Estonia, Sweden, Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Spain.
Marcos said he identified “many possible areas of further development and future partnerships.”
“We will follow these up until they come to fruition,” he said. — Gaea Katreena Cabico