THE ABOITIZ GROUP said it’s exploring wider cooperation with Vietnam in energy, food production and infrastructure following discussions with Vietnamese President To Lam during his state visit to the Philippines.
The group said in a press release on Monday that the meeting centered on potential investment and trade opportunities aligned with Vietnam’s economic expansion and Aboitiz’s existing regional footprint.
“We imagine the economic relationship between Vietnam and the Philippines has significant untapped potential, particularly in agriculture, food security and sustainable development,” Aboitiz Foods President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tristan Aboitiz said.
Mr. Lam was said to have expressed support for deeper engagement with Philippine corporations as a part of efforts to sustain growth and strengthen regional economic linkages.
The discussions form a part of broader efforts by each countries to expand cooperation in supply chains, infrastructure development, trade and investment flows across Southeast Asia.
Aboitiz Group said it stays committed to long-term partnerships that support shared growth between the 2 economies.
“We remain committed to supporting long-term cooperation, investment and shared growth between our two countries,” Mr. Aboitiz said.
The group already has a longtime presence in Vietnam across multiple sectors.
Its agribusiness unit, Aboitiz Foods, operates a feed mill in Long An province with an annual capability of about 300,000 metric tons, serving Vietnam’s livestock industry.
In energy, AboitizPower holds a 25% stake in Van Phong Power Company Ltd., which runs a 1,320-megawatt coal-fired plant in Khánh Hòa province.
AboitizPower Chief Financial Officer Sandro Aboitiz said the corporate is open to expanding further in Vietnam’s power sector, including potential investments in coal, gas and renewable energy, subject to regulatory approvals.
Vietnam’s rising electricity demand, driven by industrial growth, stays a key factor supporting additional capability investments, he added.
In infrastructure, Aboitiz InfraCapital is expanding connectivity efforts through airport-related initiatives, including air routes between Cebu and Vietnamese cities equivalent to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City via Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
Aboitiz InfraCapital President and CEO Cosette Canilao said the group goals to spice up tourism and travel linkages by working with Vietnamese travel firms to extend passenger flows between the Philippines and Vietnam. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno