Thai envoy explores business opportunities in Subic

Jonas Reyes
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand Her Excellency Makawadee Sumitmor led the Economic Team Thailand in exploring business opportunities inside the Subic Bay Special Economic Zone on June 25, 2026.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño and the Board of Directors welcomed the ambassador and her team at the administration building.
Sumitmor reaffirmed the strong bilateral relations between Thailand and the Philippines and expressed her commitment to further deepening trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
Both the Thai team and the SBMA agreed to work more closely to facilitate economic linkages between the Thai and Philippine private sectors, considering Subic Bay's strategic location within the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), which offers strong investment potential.
The Subic Bay Freeport is a special economic zone located in the southwestern part of Central Luzon, with direct access to the South China Sea. Transit time for sea shipments takes approximately three to four days from Thailand to the freeport.
It is among the key economic hubs of the LEC, which was launched by the Philippine government in April 2024 as the first economic corridor in the Indo-Pacific under the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) framework. Foreign investors within the zone are eligible for tax and investment incentives under the Philippine government's accelerated investment promotion measures.
Following the meeting with the SBMA, Her Excellency and the Economic Team Thailand visited the PTT Philippines Corporation office in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, where they were warmly welcomed by Mr. Nattapong Kaewtakulpong, president and CEO, along with the management team. The discussions included the company's mission, strategic direction, business operations in the Philippines, and the current energy situation.
PTT Philippines Corporation has been engaged in the Philippine energy sector since 1996, following the liberalization of the country's petroleum industry. Its Subic Bay facility serves as a storage depot and distribution hub for imported petroleum products transshipped through Subic Bay Port, linking the Philippines to international shipping networks and serving key economic areas in Central Luzon and across the country.
