MANILA, Philippines – Malugod na tinanggap ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ang patuloy na pamumuhunan ng global infrastructure firm I Squared Capital sa Pilipinas.
Binigyang diin ang pinalakas na reputasyon ng bansa bilang ‘competitive at reliable investment destination.’
Sa mensahe ng Pangulo na inihatid ni Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go sa isinagawang groundbreaking ng pinalawak na Royale Cold Storage (RCS) facility sa Plaridel, Bulacan, binigyang diin ng Pangulo na ang modernong cold storage systems ay may mahalagang papel sa ‘food security at sustainability.’
“I believe this initiative is an important step in our fight against hunger and wastage,” ayon sa Pangulo.
“When we reduce post-harvest losses, more food becomes available for consumption,” aniya pa rin sabay sabing ang mas mabuti at maayos na storage facilities ay makatutulong na patatagin ang mga presyo at suportahan ang pagiging produktibo ng mga magsasaka.
Winika ng Pangulo, magtatayo ang gobyerno ng nationwide cold storage platform na dinisenyo para makapag-secure food supply at gawing modernisado ang logistics chain.
Ang expansion project ay magdaragdag ng 1.5-hectare facility katabi ng umiiral na five-hectare complex ng RCS, pagtaas ng kapasidad ng cold chain at pagtulong na matiyak ang safe preservation ng karne, isda, prutas, at gulay para sa distribusyon sa buong Luzon.
Kinilala rin ng Pangulo ang mahalagang papel ng Bulacan bilang regional food supplier, sabay sabing ang proyekto ay makapagbibigay ng bagong hanapbuhay at economic opportunities.
“That is why we are building stronger systems here that protect what our farmers and fisherfolk work hard to produce for the rest of the country,” ani Pangulong Marcos.
“When there is a steady supply, prices become more stable. When farmers are assured of cold storage and competitive prices, they become more productive. It benefits everyone,” aniya pa rin.
Ang RCS facility ay magkakaloob ng ‘refrigerated warehousing, storage, at blast freezing’ para sa food industries, magsisilbi sa mga pinakamahalagang lalawigan gaya ng Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, at Pangasinan.
Ang Bulacan groundbreaking ay sinundan ng courtesy call ni I Squared Capital Founder at Chairman Dr. Sadek Wahba kay Pangulong Marcos sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang, kung saan tinalakay ng mga ito ang kasalukuyan at future investments ng kompanya sa Pilipinas.
“With more than $1 billion already invested across energy, transport, logistics, and digital infrastructure, I Squared Capital is now advancing toward its $2-billion investment commitment to support the Marcos administration’s infrastructure and growth agenda,” ayon sa ulat.
“I Squared’s continued investments reflect the success of the administration’s efforts to build a more competitive, investor-friendly economy,” ang sinabi ng Pangulo.
“This partnership is a testament to the strong confidence in the Philippines as a premier hub for infrastructure, growth, and innovation,” aniya pa rin.
Ang miting kasama ang I Squared executives ay tanda ng inilarawan ng Malakanyang bilang malakas na “vote of confidence” mula sa pinakamalaking foreign investors ng bansa.
“I Squared Capital, headquartered in Florida, manages over $50 billion in assets across more than 90 companies in 70 countries,” ayon pa rin sa ulat.
Para sa Malakanyang ang patuloy na pamumuhunan ng kompanya ay nakaayon sa kamakailan lamang na reporma kabilang na ang CREATE More Act, the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code, at pag-amyenda sa the Renewable Energy Act — lahat ay naglalayon na lumikha ng isang ‘liberalized at investor-friendly business environment.’
“We are very confident this will make a big difference,” ang tinuran ni Pangulong Marcos.
“We have to bring healthcare, food security, and infrastructure down to the people — that is how we build a stronger, more resilient Philippines,” aniya pa rin. (KRIS JOSE)
