Around 50 U.S. companies have expressed strong interest in investing in the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), highlighting Subic Bay Freeport’s strategic role as a logistics and maritime gateway.
The U.S. delegation was led by Thomas R. Hardy, deputy director and chief operating officer of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), during the Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum held at the Best Western Hotel in Subic Bay Freeport.
The delegation included American and other international companies, development partners, and major financial institutions exploring investment opportunities in Subic Bay Freeport and the wider LEC.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, along with SBMA officials, welcomed the delegates. Stakeholders from the Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC) and other Freeport investors also joined the business-to-business (B2B) discussions.
“As the host of the Subic leg of the LEC Investment Forum, this delegation has a unique opportunity to participate in meaningful B2B discussions, tour Subic Freeport, and explore avenues for deepening economic integration across the Luzon Economic Corridor,” Aliño said.
He said the USTDA-sponsored visit underscored Subic Bay Freeport’s role in the LEC’s foundational tripartite partnership among the Philippines, the United States, and Japan.
Aliño noted that the initiative has since expanded to include Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
“This is excellent news for Subic Bay as a critical western maritime gateway and strategic logistics hub, connecting major centers such as Clark, Manila, and Batangas,” he added.
Meanwhile, the USTDA reaffirmed its support for secure and resilient supply chains through initiatives aimed at expanding Subic Bay’s port infrastructure.
Its partnership with Subic Drydock Corporation will fund a feasibility study to enhance the Philippines’ capacity as a regional ship repair and maintenance hub, further strengthening Subic Bay’s strategic role in the LEC.
The USTDA also announced an initiative with Philippine telecommunications company ComClark Network and Technology Corporation to pilot AI-enhanced, U.S.-manufactured Wi-Fi access points at selected locations nationwide.
The project will support a feasibility study for a nationwide network of paid public Wi-Fi access points, opening new markets for American AI technologies while providing reliable internet connectivity to more than 600,000 Filipinos, including communities along the LEC.
