Duterte to witness signing of private sector deals

President Rodrigo Duterte receives the architect’s perspective and blueprint of the proposed Drug Addiction Treatment Center to be donated by the Friends of the Philippines Foundation during a lunch meeting at Dadong Roast Duck Restaurant in Beijing, China on October 19. KING RODRIGUEZ/Presidential Photo

BEIJING—President Duterte will preside over the signing of at least eight major business deals seen to be worth billions of pesos on the second day of his visit to China.

Although Malacañang officials have yet to quantify the transactions in monetary terms, the package is believed to be one of the biggest hauls from a foreign visit by a Philippine leader in recent years.

According to Mr. Duterte’s latest schedule, a copy of which was shown to the Inquirer, the President will witness on Friday afternoon the formalization of several memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between Philippine companies and their Chinese partners encompassing projects in rail and land transportation, industrial zones, ICT development, infrastructure, tourism, energy and telecommunications.

Subic-Clark rail service

The first deal involves China Communications Construction Corp. (CCCC), through China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd., and it is for the proposed Subic-Clark railway project.

The project aims to connect the two former US bases with a China-designed freight train service for business and industry locators at both special economic zones.

A deal will also be signed by CCCC, through China Road and Bridge Corp., for a partial segment of the bus rapid transit project that will run on Edsa to connect Bonifacio Global City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

This project is part of the Duterte administration’s efforts to decongest Edsa and improve the movement of commuters in Metro Manila.

Another deal will also be sealed between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and China Fortune Land Development to move the Clark Green City Industrial Park project forward, a plan that was first announced under the previous BCDA management.

Road project

The Inquirer also learned that Cavitex Holdings Inc., the operator of the Manila-Cavite coastal road tollway controlled by Metro Pacific Investments Corp., will enter into a deal with International Container Terminal Services Inc. of tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. and China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd.

This deal will involve a reclamation project in Cavite that may include the extension of the Cavitex highway to Sangley Point, where an airport is planned.

A firmer joint venture agreement, meanwhile, will be signed between hospitality, entertainment and casino operator Jimei Group of China and Expedition Construction Corp. of Simon Paz, a Chinese-Filipino businessman who is also redeveloping the historic Army Navy Club in Manila into a boutique resort hotel.

A deal will also be signed between North Negros Biopower Inc., the operator of a sugarcane-sourced biomass-fired power station in Manapla, Negros Occidental province, and Wuxi Huaguang Electric Power Engineering Co. Ltd.

Faster internet

Finally, agreements will be sealed between giant Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei and Ayala-controlled Globe Telecom Inc. for the modernization of Globe’s fixed-line network and the rollout of fixed high-speed broadband lines, as well as deals between Globe and Alcatel Lucent Shanghai Bell Co. Ltd. and Wuhan FiberHome International Technologies Inc.—all aimed at adding speed to the Philippines’ slow internet service.

These eight deals will all be signed at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Beijing, Mr. Duterte’s official residence for his state visit.

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