With the aim of generating quality jobs for Filipinos, the Philippine government is exploring ways to deepen its bilateral cooperation with Sweden in the energy, manufacturing, and digitalization sectors.

During a high-level courtesy meeting with a visiting Swedish delegation, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Frederick D. Go underscored the Marcos Jr. administration’s commitment to attracting high-impact investments that not only generate immediate employment but also significantly strengthen the country’s long-term economic competitiveness.

This renewed economic strategy is anchored on the revitalization of the local industrial base. Go pointed to the manufacturing sector as a critical driver of providing stable livelihoods for the nation’s professionals.

“What we are pushing for is job creation. We welcome manufacturing investments, for instance, because it has the capability to create many jobs for the country’s highly skilled labor force,” Go said in a statement on Thursday, June 11.

The DOF chief further emphasized the government’s desire to shift toward a modernized economy by inviting investments in clean and renewable energy (RE), alongside cutting-edge digital solutions such as adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and robust cybersecurity frameworks.

For their part, Swedish officials showcased their nation’s global leadership in sustainability and green technology.

Johan Lennefalk, trade commissioner of Sweden to the Philippines, noted Sweden’s deep-seated expertise in RE and fossil-free energy solutions.

“In energy, of course, we are mostly fossil-free. We are working with the Swedish Energy Agency on various technologies, including floating offshore wind as well as integrated wind and solar solutions,” Lennefalk said.

“We hope to see some installations down the line, and there are already two or three companies involved in these initiatives,” Lennefalk further said.

Both governments also discussed an array of potential partnerships spanning healthcare, agriculture, and food security.

Go noted that sectors such as electronics, mineral processing, and the services industry remain prime areas for boosting investment growth and employment generation.

To facilitate these goals, Swedish Ambassador to the Philippines Anna Ferry stressed the importance of operational efficiency.

Ferry expressed hope for the “continued streamlining and acceleration of grant-processing procedures,” noting that such administrative improvements would help attract more investments and facilitate the timely implementation of vital development projects. - Derco Rosal