Marcos Opens 2026 Luzon Economic Corridor Forum: 'The Philippines is Ready'

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. officially opened the inaugural 2026 Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) Investment Forum on Thursday, declaring to global partners that "the Philippines is ready" for long-term commercial partnerships.

Co-hosted alongside the United States and Japan, and sponsored by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the high-level forum showcases massive investment pipelines in transport connectivity, clean energy, digital infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. The trilateral initiative seeks to transform the economic belt spanning Subic Bay, Clark, Metro Manila, and Batangas into a premier Asian investment hub. During his keynote address, Marcos urged international business leaders to "build your next enterprise in the Philippines" and tap into a young, world-class Filipino workforce.

While initially launched as a trilateral project in 2024, the corridor's momentum has significantly accelerated. The President highlighted that the partnership has expanded to include eight additional nations—Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—widening the pool of global expertise and capital backing the corridor.

Courtesy: PCO