The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) asked Japanese conglomerates Mitsubishi Corp., Sumitomo Corp. and Murata Manufacturing to expand their investments in the Philippines.
“The Philippines is positioning itself as a leader in renewable energy and green metals. Our rich reserves of nickel, copper, and cobalt present immense opportunities for investment in these sectors,” DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual said as he pitched for stronger partnerships in agricultural technologies and modernized logistics infrastructure, including vital cold chain investments.
Mitsubishi reaffirmed its commitment to the ongoing Metro Manila Subway Project and reported exceeding planned progress. Pre-final design is underway with regular stakeholder meetings.
Trade commercial attache to Tokyo Ditas Angara-Mathay noted Mitsubishi’s keen interest in new Philippine infrastructure projects, particularly those focused on energy and digital transformation.
Leveraging its expertise in these areas aligns with Mitsubishi Group’s Roadmap to a Carbon Neutral Society, which includes a 2-trillion-yen budget for global energy transformation investments.
The company is also eager to explore opportunities in the growing Philippine consumer market.
The DTI also met with representatives from Sumitomo and Murata Manufacturing. Sumitomo, a diversified trading giant, is a key player in Philippine infrastructure, managing the First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP) and participating in the Light Rail Transit Lines 1, 2 and the Manila Metro Rail Transit System (MRT) Line 3 projects.
Discussions included the expansion of FPIP to attract high-value manufacturing, research and data centers. Sumitomo is also exploring residential and commercial developments around the park to benefit the local community.
The DTI is enthusiastic about Sumitomo’s potential involvement in the Metro Manila Subway Project and the MRT Line 3 maintenance project, which is seen to improve public transportation through a potential concession for MRT 3 operations.
Sumitomo also expressed interest in the privatization bid for the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) hydropower plants, a major player in the Luzon power system.
