US Commerce official arrives in PH to explore business investment


A ranking official of the United States Commerce has arrived in the Philippines to explore potential trade and investment opportunities in the country for American companies.

Marisa Lago, undersecretary of US Commerce for International Trade, is now in Manila to advance US trade and investment partnership with the Philippines. She is also scheduled to visit Clark in Pampanga during her stay until Nov. 15.

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Commerce Undersecretary Marisa Lago (left) with US Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson (right). (Photo courtesy of Ambassador Carlson)

Lago will also meet with top Philippine government officials, business leaders and other stakeholders to expand bilateral trade and investment that will focus on digital technology, infrastructure, civil nuclear cooperation, and empowering women entrepreneurs.

Activities

In Manila, Lago will hold discussions with Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, Department of Trade and Industry​ (DTI) Undersecretary of the Regional Operations Group Blesila Lantayona, and ​​Department Information and Communications Technolog​y ​(DICT) Undersecretary Paul Joseph Mercado.

She will also convene roundtables with key stakeholders, including women entrepreneurs, government and trade mission delegates, and Philippine labor representatives, to discuss shared goals and policy priorities, according to the US Embassy in Manila.

She will underscore the US commitment to advancing sustainable energy by delivering remarks at a reception for US companies attending a civil nuclear suppliers forum to foster connections to drive innovation in the energy sector.

She will also hold several meetings with leaders at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to explore financing and investment opportunities in the Philippines and the broader region.

She will then witness a key deal signing between trade mission participant UltraPass ID Corp. and the Philippine Department of Transportation (DOTr), solidifying progress toward shared investment goals.

In Clark, Lago will promote US investment in infrastructure projects within the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC)​ to emphasize the US commitment to economic development and regional connectivity.

She and the trade mission delegates will receive briefings from local government officials overseeing LEC projects to spotlight investment potential in areas such as transportation, energy, and advanced manufacturing.

Lago will also tour New Clark City and FedEx’s Clark Gateway Facility, which is undergoing a strategic expansion that aligns with the vision of transforming Clark into a premier global civil aviation logistics hub—a shared goal for both the US and the Philippines under the Luzon Economic Corridor.

​The embassy said Lago's trip reflects the Department of Commerce's ongoing work to foster robust economic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region​.