PH secures US$60-M deals
Jordan also commits 2 Cobra attack choppers, mortars, rifles, rocket-propelled grenades to PH
AJordan. MMAN, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan – US$60.625 million worth of investment pledges were secured by the Philippines during President Duterte’s official visit to
Earlier, Jordan committed to give the Philippines mortars, rifles, and rocket-propelled grenades as well as turned over two second-hand Cobra attack helicopters in July next year.
The investment pledges were two memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and seven letters of intent (LOIs) signed between private Philippine
and Jordanian companies. The deals are worth at least US$60.625 million and will generate at least 432 jobs.
Two MOUs were signed between the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) for the promotion, strengthening, and expansion of trade, economic, scientific, technological cooperation, and other business relations between concerned organizations and firms of PCCI and JCC.
The other MOU between the two firms is for the establishment of linkages between businesses and industrial sectors in the Philippines and Jordan to facilitate cooperation and joint ventures among members and to increase bilateral trade volume between the two countries.
The LOI with the Nafith International seeks to explore the opportunities in the Philippines on logistics planning and operations, and locate its regional office there.
The Universal Labs Ltd. LOI seeks to explore opportunities in the Philippines and setting up a big manufacturing facility for the production of Dead Sea products for export to cover the Asian Market.
The Arabia Cell LOI seeks to explore opportunities in the Philippines on mobile-related services and solutions, information technology, software, and mobile development.
The LOI with Dinarak is for the exploration of opportunities for digital cross-border remittances from Jordan to the Philippines, while the Reprogene LOI seeks to explore opportunities genomic testing services for hospitals and clinics.
The Mobile Z Nation LOI seeks to explore opportunities in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector related to healthcare and insurance.
The last LOI is with Galaxy Organization that seeks to explore opportunities in the Philippines on technology and robotics, ICT development, cybercrime, artificial intelligent, green energy and e-Education.
President Duterte thanked Jordan King Abdullah II for the arms that the Kingdom is going to provide the Philippines to boost its defense capabilities.
Duterte expressed his gratitude during his working lunch with the Jordanian monarch when he visited the Al Husseiniya Palace in Amman Thursday afternoon (Jordan time).
Duterte told Abdullah that the arms that will be given to the Philippines will be of great help.
Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go had earlier confirmed that Jordan will be turning over to the Philippines the two second-hand Cobra attack helicopters after the training of Filipino pilots.
Both Duterte and Abdullah also agreed that it will take a long time before terrorism would be completely purged.
Abdullah told Duterte that it will take not only the next 10 to 15 years to overcome the influence of “horrible” people in the southeast and western Asia.
King Abdullah eyes PH visit Meanwhile, Abdullah is keeping his hopes up that he will be able to return to the Philippines and bring private businessmen to see for themselves what the country has to offer.
King Abdullah II made the statement during the official working lunch with President Duterte when the latter visited the Al Husseiniya Palace Thursday afternoon (Jordan time).
According to the Jordanian monarch, he is confident that Duterte's visit will further boost the ties between the two Asian countries.
“I am confident that your presence here will really give us a momentum into the future on so many fields. And I believe that this is a new era of cooperation as we have discussed privately that has already been on many levels,” he said.
“A movement in the past year or two between our relations but I think your visit here will now propel us into the next stage,” he added.
Abdullah also said that he is delighted that Duterte brought businessmen with him to explore opportunities in the Arab nation. The Jordanian royalty said that he hopes to do the same in the future.
“And I am really delighted that there’s also members of the business delegation here in Jordan because I think the true building of relations between our countries comes when people come more dependent economically together,” the King said.
“And I hope that this is an opportunity for me then to be able to come back and to visit your country, not only with our government officials but to bring Jordanian private sector to also look at the tremendous opportunities that your country has to offer,” he added.
In response, President Duterte assured Abdullah that he came to Jordan to “pledge our friendship, our cooperation to you.” (With a report from Bernie Cahiles-Magkilat)