The Netherlands to invest in Luzon Eco Corridor

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has announced that the government of The Netherlands is keen on investing in the Luzon Economic Corridor, the AI and microchips hub planned by the US State Department and the Philippines in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac.

The Second Philippines-Netherlands Coordinating Authorities’ Meeting in The Hague, the DTI’s Bureau of International Trade Relations and its Dutch counterparts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “explored emerging areas of cooperation, including electronics, semiconductors, and critical minerals within the framework of the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), water management and climate resilience, and offshore wind development.”

The DTI said the Philippines and Netherlands discussed  “opportunities to leverage Dutch expertise in areas such as renewable energy, water management, coastal resilience, and sustainable infrastructure.”

The two sides were guided by the 1995 Memorandum of Understanding on Economic and Technological Cooperation between the two countries.

LEC participants include the US, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, and the UK.

The LEC seeks to develop transport and logistics connectivity, energy projects, and digital infrastructure along key economic hubs like Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas—all under the controversial Pax Silica program of the State Department.

“Discussions highlighted the continued growth of Philippines-Netherlands trade and investment ties and the ongoing negotiations for the Philippines-European Union Free Trade Agreement,” the DTI said.