PH expects P150B substantial returns, 8,000 job openings after Marcos’ Japan visit

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Images from AFP/Reuters

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is expecting a P150 billion in substantial returns, which could generate 8,000 job opportunities for Filipinos, after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s working visit to Japan.

Marcos is set to go to Tokyo from February 8 to 12.

“In the president’s visit to Japan, we are expecting that substantial returns in terms of new projects, the value of which we currently estimate at P150 billion, and we estimate too that these will generate employment for 8,000 Filipinos,” Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano said on ANC Rundown on Tuesday.

Marcos, the envoy added, will meet with top executives and chairpersons of firms that specialize in electronics, semiconductors, printers and wiring harness manufacturing.

“These sectors comprise the bulk of our industrial relations with Japan,” Garcia-Albano said.

“They will discuss how the private sector, the Japanese investor companies, the government and other stakeholders can work more closely together to ensure the success of these businesses in the Philippines,” she continued.

At least seven bilateral agreements, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier said, will be signed between the Philippine and Japanese governments during the visit.

Meanwhile, the deportation of Japanese nationals supposedly involved in a series of robberies in the East Asian country will not be raised during the president’s meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as it is a “consular” concern, said the DFA.

The agency further said that the issue of Filipino comfort women during World War II is also anticipated to not be raised as the matter is considered “settled.”

The scheduled visit is Marcos’ first trip to Japan since he became president in June last year.

JMS