The European Union and Spain have joined the Luzon Economic Corridor, expanding its international partnership to 13 countries as the Philippines seeks to bring more financing, investment, and technical expertise into major infrastructure projects.
Both partners pledged support through financing, private-sector participation, and technical assistance, widening the pool of capital and expertise available for the corridor’s transport, connectivity, and other strategic investments.
“Today, we make history with the addition of two more partners of the Luzon Economic Corridor, which brings us to 13 countries in total,” Finance Secretary Frederick Go said at the LEC Investment Forum on Thursday.
Go said the partnership should translate into “tangible results: better infrastructure, stronger connectivity, more investment, more jobs, greater opportunities for the Filipino people.”
EU Ambassador to the Philippines Massimo Santoro said the corridor has gained importance as part of the bloc’s broader economic partnership with the Philippines.
The EU positioned itself as a reliable partner capable of mobilizing large-scale investment, while emphasizing good governance, accountability, and transparency in project development.
Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Miguel Utray Delgado said Spain’s participation builds on decades of bilateral cooperation and would support LEC projects through technical assistance, private-sector partnerships, and financing.
“We stand ready to advance the corridor’s goals through technical assistance, private-sector partnership and finance mobilized by the financial protocol recently signed with the Philippines,” Delgado said.
The financing framework could help Spanish companies participate in projects spanning rail, shipping, aerospace, and other infrastructure, potentially bringing additional capital and technical capabilities into the corridor.
The expanded partnership comes as the Philippines seeks to move the LEC from a framework for international cooperation toward projects that secure financing, begin construction, and generate jobs and economic activity.
