Marcos: Australian firm's solar project to create jobs, cleaner industries

MELBOURNE, Australia — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Tuesday that an Australian firm’s floating solar project in the Philippines would result in employment for Filipinos.

Marcos said this as he met with executives from the Macquarie Group.

“With Macquarie Group’s 1.3 GW floating solar project in Laguna Lake, we're creating sustainable jobs and cleaner industries,” Marcos said.

The Philippine leader said that the improved business setting in the country would result in better renewable energy system.

“Our green lanes and improved business environment pave the way for more initiatives like this to thrive and contribute to our nation's renewable energy goals,” Marcos said.

Macquamarie group managing director and CEO Shemara Wikramanayake said she is excited to discuss more about investment bank in the Philippines.

“The whole digitization process, we’re excited about. Also, the energy transition we’re excited about … we certainly invest in digitization and we invest in energy transition and in mining and building bigger advisory business,” she said.

Wikramanayake said they are interested in investing in the Philippines due to its demographic profile for having “a young and growing population.

“What we’re keen to do is to partner with Southeast Asia particularly with places like the Philippines, which are proving to be very good to create that environment for the pension savers money here. To bring capital to health, investing in infrastructure, etcetera,” she said.

Meanwhile, Marcos hailed the firm for its interest in investing in the Philippines as he emphasized that they will be a big help for the Philippine development especially in terms of digitalization process not only for the investors, but also for the locals.

“We somehow have fallen behind in that regard, and we’re trying to catch-up. Digitization is a very important part of ease of doing business not just for investors, but for locals in their dealings with the government,” Marcos said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News