Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Frederick Go reaffirmed his commitment to leading the government’s investment promotion efforts, emphasizing job creation and employment growth as key priorities.

In a recent press briefing, Go — who previously served at the now-defunct Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA) — said he will continue supporting investment promotion initiatives in his new role as finance chief.

“As you know, the Secretary of Finance is generally viewed as the head of the economic team,” Go said. “I’ll continue to help with investments because that’s what we really need. It’s all about job creation and increasing employment.”

During his tenure at OSAPIEA, Go helped secure several multibillion-dollar foreign investments that not only boosted capital inflows but also generated employment opportunities.

Among the flagship projects was the expansion of Samsung Electro-Mechanics Philippines (SEMPHIL), which is investing $1 billion to build an additional multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) production facility in Calamba, Laguna. The new high-tech plant will manufacture MLCCs for electric vehicles and smart devices and is expected to create more than 3,500 jobs when operations begin in July 2027.

Another major investment launched under Go’s watch was VinFast, through Green and Smart Mobility (GSM), which rolled out its electric taxi fleet in the Philippines last June. Backed by $500 million in initial investments, the company has deployed 1,500 e-taxis and employs 1,660 Filipinos. GSM is set to expand operations to Cebu and Davao, with plans to invest up to $1 billion, including charging infrastructure, and generate as many as 10,000 jobs nationwide over the next five years.

“In my capacity as DOF Secretary, I will continue to help coordinate and support the investment promotion activities of the government. I will still help and be there to tie all of this together,” Go added.