By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pressed ahead with efforts to deepen Philippine-India economic ties Saturday, meeting Indian business groups on the proposed expansion of Sangley Point International Airport, digital payment systems and new investments expected to create thousands of jobs in the Philippines.
Marcos met with executives of GMR Group and representatives of Cavitex Holdings Inc. to discuss the development of the Sangley airport project in Cavite.
The discussions centered on advancing plans for a world-class, multi-runway aviation hub that could help ease congestion at Ninoy Aquino International Airport while strengthening regional logistics connectivity.
The project is also expected to generate high-value employment opportunities for Filipinos as aviation and related industries expand around the facility.
The president later met with executives of iSON Group to discuss the company’s planned expansion of its Philippine operations.
During the meeting, the group committed $75 million in investments covering modern agriculture, renewable energy, healthcare and 24/7 teleconsultation services. The investments are expected to generate about 2,000 jobs.
iSON also pledged another $10 million for the expansion of its business process outsourcing operations and the integration of global delivery centers.
Marcos likewise advanced discussions with NPCI International Limited on expanding digital payment cooperation between India and the Philippines.
Among the initiatives discussed was a partnership with LandBank to explore the use of India’s Unified Payments Interface, or UPI-based payment system, in the Philippines.
The proposed system could streamline government payments, improve interoperability among QR-based payment platforms and make cross-border transactions more convenient for Filipinos and businesses.
The meetings formed part of Marcos’ ongoing engagements with Indian government and business leaders aimed at expanding investment, technology and economic cooperation between the two countries.
IA/XF
