PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday witnessed the signing of 21 business agreements in Jerusalem between companies from the Philippines and Israel, Malacañang said, including a number of defense and security deals with Israeli makers of sophisticated surveillance and intelligence products.
“The agreements signed include three Memoranda of Agreement (MoA), 11 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), and seven Letters of Intent (LoI),” the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said in a statement Wednesday.
In a text message, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the agreements have an estimated investment value of “$82.9 million” and are expected to generate “790 jobs.”
He said the agreements were signed at an investors forum on Tuesday at the King David hotel in Jerusalem.
According to the PCOO, the deals include an Integrated Computer Systems, Inc. agreement to collaborate on security, intelligence data mining, and information technology with NASDAQ-listed Verint Systems Ltd, a New York-based customer engagement and communications security company that does product development in Israel.
Armscor Global Defense, Inc., a small arms supplier, signed an MoU with EMTAN Karmiel Ltd., which makes AR-15-style rifles and carbines for military, law enforcement and civilian applications.
Military equipment supplier Stone of David Corp. also tied up with Gaia Automotive Industries Ltd. on the marketing and promotion of tactical vehicles.
Stone of David also signed an MoA on military and intelligence products and hardware with MCTECH RF Technologies Ltd, which makes radio frequency jammers for security applications.
AMA Education Systems (AMAES) and Hacker U Group, a cybersecurity training company, signed an MoU on developing cybersecurity-related certification courses in the Philippines.
Century Properties, Inc. and Globe Invest Ltd. agreed on a tie-up involving advanced energy optimization management, advanced agriculture and urban farming, prefabricated housing, water desalination, and other master-planned real estate development projects.
Meanwhile, Century Pacific Food, Inc. and Kvuzat Yavne Food Products signed an MoU on the distribution of Century canned tuna products within Israel and the Palestinian Authority, while the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Eilat Port Co. Ltd., agreed to develop a cargo service between Subic and the Eilat on the Red Sea.
In a radio interview, Presidential Spokesperson Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said Mr. Duterte was set to leave for Jordan on Thursday after his four-day official visit to Israel.
In his departure speech in Pasay City on Sept. 2, Mr. Duterte said “there are 48,000” Filipinos in Jordan and cited the need to ensure “ensure that [its] citizens are fully protected.” — Arjay L. Balinbin

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