Marcos woos Thailand’s CP Group to invest in PPPs

BANGKOK, Thailand — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is looking to woo Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand (CP Group) to invest in public-private partnership projects in the Philippines.

According to the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), Marcos had a meeting with the group in Bangkok on Wednesday, November 17, as he touted PPPs as a significant driver of the administration’s economic transformation.

“The centerpiece is our private and public partnership and this is something we feel we will need to encourage for the simple reason that it cannot be done by just the government,” Marcos was quoted as saying.

Marcos told representatives of the CP Group that the Department of Agriculture (DA) can visit the conglomerate’s Philippine offices and eventually offices in Thailand.

“Then we can see what are the opportunities that you feel are going to be appropriate for the Philippines,” he said.

According to its website, the CP Group is involved in industries such as agriculture and technology, made up of both listed and private units.

The President last month encouraged the private sector to take part in PPPs, as he said there were some 74 projects estimated to be worth P2.25-trillion in the pipeline, signaling a shift from the previous administration which preferred projects done under Official Development Assistance (ODAs). — RSJ, GMA Integrated News