Gov’t woos Taiwanese cold chain firms

MANILA  -The Board of Investments (BOI) on Saturday said it is set to sign an agreement with Taiwanese companies engaged in the cold storage and logistics industry as part of the government’s push to improve the Philippines’s own counterpart sector.

The BOI said that its officials met with the Taiwan Cold Chain Association (TCCA) last week, citing that both parties have agreed to creating and signing a memorandum of understanding to implement capacity building programs on cold chain solutions for Filipino workers.

“Linking Taiwanese cold chain investors with Filipino partners for possible investments in cold chain activities in the Philippines was also considered. This will facilitate realization of a more modern, greener, and sustainable cold chain industry in the Philippines,” the BOI said in a statement.

Present in the meeting are representatives from Taiwanese firm Evergreen International Storage and Transport Corp, Evergreen Logistics Corp, YES Liberal Logistics Corp, Advantech Company, Ltd. and the RD&D Cold Logistics Co.

BOI Governor Marjorie Ramos-Samaniego highlighted to these companies that setting up their operations in the Philippines is very timely and strategic, considering recent liberalization under the Amended Public Service Act on cold chain activities.

She also touted the country’s growing population, increasing urbanization, rising middle class, vibrant consumer market and growing e-commerce sector as a pitch that the Philippines is the best place to put up their businesses.

Last May, the BOI and various industry groups launched a cold chain database to map out service providers.