Canada added as new partner in Luzon Economic Corridor

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

May 15, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) has welcomed Canada as a new partner in transforming the corridor into a world-class economic hub.

In a statement, the governments of the United States, Japan and the Philippines said that the LEC partnership now includes Canada.

Canada is supporting the LEC by contributing P89 million ($1.4 million) to fund targeted technical assistance for a project to be identified with the Philippines.

It will also connect potential Canadian investors to the LEC.

Launched in April 2024,  the LEC initially covered the Philippines, US and Japan.

It has recently expanded and now includes Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom as partners.

Through the LEC’s development, the aim is to enhance connectivity among Subic Bay, Clark, Manila and Batangas, while advancing infrastructure investments and creating high-quality jobs.

During a meeting earlier this week, the LEC Steering Committee discussed progress made across priority sectors such as energy, transportation and logistics, digital connectivity and advanced manufacturing.

On energy, the partnership is developing necessary infrastructure to support economic growth and energy security.

Meanwhile, transportation and logistics investments, including rail and airport modernization, are aimed at enhancing regional connectivity and facilitating expanded international trade.

The partnership also aims to position the corridor as a critical node in global technology supply chains and complement the Pax Silica initiative through digital connectivity and advanced manufacturing.

Given the importance of a business-friendly environment in attracting private investment, the Philippines presented legal and regulatory reforms during the meeting.

The US, Philippines and Japan also discussed how to address the remaining challenges and identify future reform priorities.

With private sector seen to help drive the development of the LEC, the three countries are also inviting firms to join the inaugural LEC Investor Forum to be held on Sept. 10-11, 2026, in Manila.

“The Investor Forum will serve as a premier platform for mobilizing private capital, showcasing transformative investment opportunities and deepening public-private partnerships across all priority sectors,” the joint statement read.