Luzon Economic Corridor may create 1M jobs
AS MANY as 1 million jobs could be generated for Filipinos under expanding Philippines-US economic cooperation as both sides advance plans for trade, infrastructure and technology projects aimed at strengthening supply chains and boosting growth, according to Malacañang.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. met with Jacob Helberg, US undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment in Malacañang on Tuesday to discuss initiatives anchored on the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), a flagship project covering infrastructure, logistics, energy and semiconductor-linked industries across Luzon.
“The LEC, in particular, is envisioned to generate up to 1 million jobs for Filipinos and help drive double-digit economic growth for the country,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.
The meeting came as Manila and Washington marked 80 years of diplomatic relations and 75 years of the Mutual Defense Treaty, with ties increasingly expanding beyond security cooperation into economic development and strategic industries.
On Monday, Mr. Helberg visited New Clark City, Tarlac, which is being considered as the site of the first industrial hub under the Pax Silica initiative, a US-backed plan that seeks to boost semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) supply chains amid intensifying global competition.
The hub will be located within a 4,000-acre economic security zone in New Clark City and will focus on AI infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, advanced computing and the processing of critical minerals including nickel, cobalt and copper.
The initiative forms part of the broader Luzon Economic Corridor and the Pax Silica framework launched in late 2025, which seeks to build more resilient technology supply chains among US allies while reducing reliance on geopolitical rivals.
Philippine authorities are targeting initial construction and early operations before the end of the Marcos administration in 2028, as the government positions the country to attract higher-value investments in manufacturing and technology services linked to global supply chain realignment. — CMAH
