PBBM: Pax Silica push about jobs & tech, not choosing sides

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Friday that the Philippines remains open to economic partnerships with any country, stressing that the government’s priority is to secure investments that create jobs, strengthen local capabilities, and improve the lives of Filipinos.

President Marcos made the statement during the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) Presidential Luncheon at the Diamond Hotel in Manila, in response to a question on whether the country’s push to host an advanced technology hub could mean distancing itself from China and sacrificing natural resources, including power and water supplies.

“I don’t think that that’s in any policy statement that we are distancing ourselves from China,” the President said.

President Marcos pointed out that the Philippines continues to cooperate with China in various areas, describing China as “one of the biggest investors still in the Philippines”.

The Chief Executive cited China’s cooperation with the Philippines and other countries following the outbreak of war in the Middle East, saying Beijing handled the engagement on a “purely practical, business-like, professional level.”

“And all of these, shall we say, conflicting claims in the West Philippines simply did not enter into that discussion,” the President said.

The President also noted that China remains one of only two countries whose nationals may enter the Philippines without a visa.

“And so that is hardly distancing ourselves from China. We’re opening our doors to China and to Chinese travelers,” the President said.

Asked whether the benefits of hosting an advanced technology facility would outweigh the risks and whether the initiative could serve as an alternative to Chinese investments, President Marcos said the government does not view economic partnerships as an either or proposition.

“Again, I don’t see it in that way. It’s not a binary thing. It’s not either or in our case,” the President said, adding that “Whenever someone is interested to come into the Philippines to invest, so long as it is to the mutual benefit of all parties involved, then that for us is a good deal.”

The President said the Philippines would be willing to engage with investors regardless of their country of origin.

“And it is a good deal that we will enter into no matter where it comes from. If it comes from the US, if it comes from Europe, if it comes from China, if it comes from Japan, if it comes from Korea, if it comes from Canada, Australia, we engage with anyone,” the President said.

The President said the government’s main consideration is whether investments would benefit Filipinos through employment, capital infusion, technology development, and skills enhancement.

“What we are interested in is to benefit our people in terms of jobs, in terms of investment into the country, in terms of the advancement of our capabilities in terms of technology, in terms of our training, reskilling and upskilling, all of those things,” President Marcos said.

“And so long as we are able to move the economy forward and to better the lives of our people, then that is something that we will certainly examine. And if it turns out that that is a beneficial agreement or arrangement, then certainly we will become part of it. We will want to be part of it,” the Chief Executive noted.

On concerns that the advanced technology hub could lead to the exploitation of Philippine minerals and displacement of indigenous peoples, President Marcos said foreign entities could not exploit the country’s natural resources without the government’s approval.

“Well, I cannot see how another country can come into the Philippines and, for example, exploit our minerals without the agreement of the Philippine government,” the President said as he emphasized that the government should maximize the value of the country’s natural resources by developing processing capabilities domestically instead of merely exporting raw materials.