By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA — Speaking during Taiwan’s 115th National Day celebration, Taiwanese Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Wallace Minn-Gan Chow highlighted his country’s resilience, democratic values and commitment to strengthening economic and diplomatic ties with the Philippines.
Over the years, Taiwan has emerged as the Philippines’ leading foreign source of investment approvals in economic zones during the first nine months of 2026, opening opportunities to deepen cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced manufacturing and other technology-driven industries.
Ambassador Chow underscored the growing economic partnership between Manila and Taipei in his speech, citing opportunities to build on existing trade and investment ties and expand cooperation in emerging technologies.
This partnership has been proven in data from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) that showed its full support, with PEZA approving more than ₱297.14 billion in investments from January to September 2026, with Taiwan ranking first among foreign sources, followed by the Netherlands, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia.
According to PEZA director general Tereso Panga, the approved investments covered 223 new and expansion projects expected to generate US$8.94 billion in exports and create 33,331 direct jobs for Filipinos.
“These figures represent projected economic contributions from approved projects, rather than exports and employment already realized. The investment approvals highlight the role of economic zones in expanding the Philippines’ production capacity and export base, while creating opportunities for foreign companies to establish or expand operations in the country,” Panga pointed out.
Accordingly, Taiwan’s ambassador marked the bilateral trade between Taiwan and the Philippines, which reached approximately US$7.2 billion in 2025 that have already exceeded US$7 billion as of August 2026.
He identified Taiwan as the Philippines’ seventh-largest export market and 10th-largest source of imports, underscoring the established commercial links between the two economies.
Chow likewise noted that beyond trade, the Taiwan-Philippine Economic Program is considered as a platform for deepening cooperation, particularly in industries where the two sides can complement each other’s capabilities.
Based on the long-standing partnership, Taiwan continues to bring advanced manufacturing technologies while expanding industrial supply chains and expertise in energy engineering.
On the other hand, the Philippines has been offering the island nation a young and skilled workforce, as well as land and energy resources that could support industrial expansion.
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