Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño and agency officials welcomed the delegation. Freeport investors, led by the Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. (SBITC), were present to accommodate questions from the 50 foreign companies during the business-to-business (B2B) talks.
Chairman Aliño said, "As the Subic leg of the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) Investment Forum, this investment and business mission will have the opportunity to engage in B2B meetings, go around Subic, and explore ways of achieving economic integration in the LEC by checking out the many ways to invest here, how to invest here, and where and how to impact positively on the success of the LEC program."
The event is part of the LEC Investment Forum, sponsored by the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). Aliño said the visit to the Subic Bay Freeport reinforces the Freeport's role in the LEC’s original tripartite partnership, namely the Philippines, the United States and Japan.
From this original trio, the LEC project now involves partners from Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
"This is definitely good news for Subic as a vital western maritime gateway and strategic logistics hub within LEC, connecting with Clark, Manila and Batangas; in order to drive infrastructure, supply chain resilience and technology investments," he added.
Meanwhile, the USTDA announced that it is supporting secure, robust and resilient supply chains by advancing the expansion of port infrastructure at Subic Bay in the Philippines. USTDA’s assistance to Subic Drydock Corp. will fund a feasibility study to support the Philippines’ capacity to serve as a regional hub for ship repair and maintenance, growing this strategically vital location along the LEC using trusted, US-aligned infrastructure solutions.
The USTDA also announced that it is deepening the US-Philippines alliance by piloting AI-enhanced, US-made WiFi access points in strategic locations across the Philippines. USTDA signed an agreement with Philippine telecommunications company ComClark Network and Technology Corp. to fund a feasibility study for a nationwide network of paid public WiFi access points.
The project will open new markets for American AI while providing trusted, reliable internet connectivity to over 600,000 Filipinos, including those along the Luzon Corridor.
