Marcos secures $8B worth of investment pledges during Indonesia visit

Photo from the Office of the President
Photo from the Office of the President

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has secured over $8 billion worth of investment commitments during his three-day state visit in Indonesia, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said on Tuesday, September 6, 2022.

In a statement, Angeles said a total of $8.484 billion worth of memorandum of understanding (MOUs) and letters of intent (LOI) were signed at the Jakarta Business Roundtable Meeting held on Monday, September 5.

This includes $822 million worth of investment pledges in textiles, garments, renewable energy, satellite gateway, wire global technology, and agrifood; $7 billion in infrastructure for unsolicited private-public partnerships such as a C-5 four-level elevated expressway; and $662 million trade value for the supply of coal and fertilizer.

Angeles said these commitments are expected to generate at least 7,000 new jobs in the country.

Marcos said Indonesian business leaders were “very enthusiastic” in doing trade in the Philippines, which stopped over the past years due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

“So sabi ko nagbago na ‘yan. So come to the Philippines. So they all committed naman to... Many of them are already actually involved in the Philippines. So sabi nila palalakihin nila ‘yung kanilang involvement. Gusto nila mag-expand,” he said.

Marcos said his visit to Indonesia is “more productive than expected.”

He said his government will tap Indonesia for fertilizer supply through government-to-government deals.

He said the Indonesian government also agreed to export coal in the country.

Marcos also seeks Indonesia’s assistance in agriculture, particularly in the fisheries sector.

He said he and Widodo also agreed to help each other in improving marketing strategies and business planes of their respective countries.

Widodo toured Marcos in a government-controlled mall in Indonesia that serves as a one-stop-shop for all local products and caters to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

“And last night suddenly he invited us to see -- to go to a mall. Bago nung dinner namin, pinuntahan namin ‘yung mall. ‘Yun pala, ‘yung mall na pinakita sa amin, gobyerno ang may-ari at saka ang produktong pinagbibili doon sa loob ng mall, lahat local, lahat MSMEs, lahat maliliit. Pagka masyado nang lumaki, hindi na sila pwede doon sa mall. Lilipat sila doon sa regular na mall,” said Marcos.

“And nag-agree na naman kami. Sabi niya, oo, kailangan natin turuan ‘yung packaging, ‘yung market, kung ano ‘yung hinahanap sa merkado, how do you business plan, ‘yung mga ganung klaseng bagay. Pareho sa atin,” he added.

Four deals on economy, cultural relations, and defense were signed during Marcos’ state visit to the country. (SunStar Philippines)

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