Belgium is exploring investment opportunities in the Philippines’ economic zones as a delegation led by Ambassador Vladislava Iordanova met with officials from key freeport authorities.

The Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Manila led representatives from Port of Antwerp-Bruges International (PoABI) in engagements with the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) and the Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO), as part of efforts to strengthen economic ties.

The meetings coincide with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Belgium and the Philippines this year.

Earlier, the delegation visited the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, where Iordanova met with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño, who proposed a sister port agreement between the Port of Subic and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

During a visit to the Bataan Freeport in Mariveles on 16 March, AFAB officials and technical teams presented potential areas for cooperation, particularly in port development and management. The delegation also toured port facilities in the province to assess ongoing projects and investment prospects.

Among the Belgian delegation were PoABI Southeast Asia Regional Coordinator Kamiel Schilders and Senior Manager and Solutions Lead for Digital Business Analysis Tom De Smedt, along with other representatives from the embassy and maritime sector.

Officials from Philippine Transmarine Carriers and representatives of freeport locators, including Mariveles Harbor Corporation, Bataan Baseco Joint Venture, and Herma Shipyard, also joined the discussions.

Meanwhile, APECO officials participated in a reception hosted by the Belgian embassy, where they engaged with government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, the Public-Private Partnership Center, and the Philippine Ports Authority, as well as private sector stakeholders.

APECO is advancing plans for the Casiguran International New Port, a P4.7-billion project envisioned as a strategic trans-Pacific gateway on the country’s eastern seaboard.