Polish companies have expressed interest in investing in the country’s key sectors following the government’s investment mission to Poland, according to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).
In a social media post, PEZA Director General Tereso Panga said the roadshow in Poland was part of the government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment ties with the European Union (EU).
The investment promotion agency oversaw investment seminars and business-to-business meetings in the cities of Warsaw and Gdansk.
During this period, PEZA reported securing leads for foreign direct investment from Polish companies involved in renewable energy, data centers, and shipbuilding.
Panga said the most notable of these investment prospects is the plan of a consortium of Polish, American, and Filipino investors to establish a data center in the province of Camarines Norte.
The facility, which will be integrated with renewable energy and water desalination components, is estimated at €60 million, or approximately ₱3.9 billion.
The consortium is reportedly planning to develop similar data centers in two more economic zones in the country.
Another promising lead, according to Panga, is a start-up company’s plan to build an advanced air and water purification technology using photocatalytic membranes instead of traditional filters.
The technology, which the University of Gsank also develops, is already being piloted on a private farm in Mindanao.
The company likewise expressed interest in establishing manufacturing operations in the Philippines, once it gains traction in the Southeast Asian market.
PEZA’s mission to Poland coincides with the ongoing free trade agreement negotiations between Manila and the EU.
Panga is expecting these efforts to boost trade partnerships, attract long-term investments, and strengthen the country’s export revenues.
PEZA currently hosts over 300 EU locator companies with cumulative investments reaching over ₱400 billion and generating direct employment for more than 500,000 workers. To date, the agency has a lone Polish firm in the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector.
Last year, Philippine exports to Poland reached $252.92 million, mainly consisting of electronics.
Meanwhile, Poland’s exports to the Philippines totaled $367.11 million, covering mechanical equipment, paper, and agricultural goods such as dairy and chicken.