Western powers ramp up support for Philippines’ Luzon economic hub

AdvertisementThe PhilippinesThis Week in AsiaEconomicsWestern powers ramp up support for Philippines’ Luzon economic hub

Eight more countries will invest in the project as they accelerate regional trade diversification in sectors ranging from AI to energy

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Sam BeltranPublished: 7:07pm, 15 May 2026A widely touted economic hub in the Philippines will involve eight more countries, signalling greater international confidence in the long-term viability of the ambitious project to boost connectivity and trade in a key region.The Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), a trilateral infrastructure initiative led by the US, Japan, and the Philippines, is set to receive additional support from Canada, Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Initially envisioned as a connectivity project linking three main ports and two international airports across four cities on Luzon, the Philippines’ main island, the corridor is now also drawing investments in energy, digital systems, cybersecurity, shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing.

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The inclusion of more countries in the development reflected growing confidence in the Philippines as an economic and security partner in the Indo-Pacific, said Dindo Manhit, president of Manila-based think tank Stratbase ADR Institute.

The US embassy in Manila said in a statement on Tuesday: “Through coordinated investments in transport infrastructure, energy systems, digital connectivity, and advanced manufacturing supply chains, the LEC will create thousands of high-quality jobs and transform Luzon into a more prosperous and interconnected region.”

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Philippine Secretary of Finance Frederick Go said in the statement that the expanded LEC showed the commitment of “like-minded nations” in “shared prosperity”

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