SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Australian Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown said that Australia aims to enhance trade and investment with Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines.

During his visit to this premier Freeport on 3 October 2025, Innes-Brown said that the Australian government had presented a Southeast Asia Economic Strategy developed two years ago to boost trade and investment in the region. He was accompanied by First Secretary for Economic Paul McEachern.

One of the key focus areas includes this Freeport, where the ambassador conducted an ocular inspection to identify potential investment projects for Australian companies looking to expand their businesses abroad.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, along with other agency officials, welcomed Innes-Brown during his visit and provided information on the logistical advantages of the Freeport compared to other countries.

The Australian envoy said, “Australia sees the Philippines as an increasingly important partner economically and from a security sense, and that's been evident by the elevation of our relationship to a strategic partnership.”

He added that the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy includes promoting Australian investments into the region, with deal teams established in Southeast Asian capitals to identify investable projects.

Innes-Brown said their government is promoting outward Australian investments into the region while attracting more investments into Australia and exporting more goods and services.

According to SBMA Senior Deputy Administrator for Business and Investment Renato Lee III, the Subic Bay Freeport hosts 23 Australian companies with a total of USD $11.6 million in investments, employing around 540 workers.

He added that the top three Australian companies in the Subic Bay Freeport include STG Global Corp., a steel fabrication company that invested USD $3.5 million; Platinum Skies Aviation, Inc., an air transport company that invested USD $1.4 million; and Dunbrae Subic, Inc., a food processing equipment and manufacturing company that invested USD $860,000.

Lee also proposed a Sister Port Agreement with the Australian government, citing that the Port of Subic could provide support to Australia’s major ports such as the Port of Melbourne, Port of Newcastle, and Port Botany.

“This will strengthen maritime linkages between the Philippines and Australia since Subic Bay is a strategic deep-water port of Southeast Asia. The SBMA can learn from these Australian ports since they are key innovators in Asia-Pacific trade and sustainability,” he said.