Taiwan businesses eye greening Luzon

MANILA – Business executives from Taiwan, Republic of China (ROC) are set to conduct site visits and investment matching sessions with key government officials and private enterprises in the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan, and Sorsogon and some areas in Metro Manila on August 7-11, 2023. 

Seventeen (17) Taiwanese business owners, manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of green building materials flew in from Taipei to assist local public and private initiatives on climate change and renewable energy. They represent ten (10) companies providing biomass systems, solar streetlights, eco-friendly adhesives, construction materials, and energy-saving installations.

Efforts have been made by Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to build partnerships in the country through the Engage in Green Business Opportunity Promotion Project. Earl Tongol, a green productivity advocate and management consultant, has locally led this project since 2020.

One of the highlights of the week-long visit is the formal turnover of the solar panels system recently installed at the Municipality of Pilar in Sorsogon.
 
“With the support of ITRI and the local government unit (LGU), we were able to successfully installa solar panel system with inverters and energy storage for Pilar’s local police station,” Tongol said.
 
Talks on several ‘green’ projects are also expected to commence in La Union as the group from Taiwan are scheduled to visit several hotels and commercial establishments in the “LU surfing” tourism strip in Urbiztondo and San Juan. San Fernando City and the municipality of Bacnotan are also interested in adopting environment-friendly technologies from Taiwan.
 
Celso Jucutan, the Environmental Management Coordinator of Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, also works with the Engage in Green project to establish linkages with Taiwan. Through Jucutan’s group, the Lupon ng mga Indibidwal na Nangangalaga sa Kalikasan, Inc. (LINK, Inc.), potential projects with ITRI are in the pipeline geared towards environmental
conservation.
 
“We will also bring the Taiwanese companies to the municipalities of Bayambang and the City of San Carlos in Pangasinan to introduce to them some bamboo processing factories producing wood panels and furniture,” Jucutan said.

The delegation will converge in Metro Manila to meet with major hotel chains, contractors, and real estate developers based in Pasay, Quezon City, and Manila.

Potential investments with the Taiwanese companies, namely, Alliance, Ecolohas, Dian Zhuan Shuan, Zirco, Everlight, PFTA, Heat Insulation Building Materials, Nagaoka Machinery, First Metal Products, and Wu Ji Shan Hu Zhai, are expected to help Philippines achieve its commitment on greenhouse gas emissions reduction and avoidance by 75% for the period 2020 to 2030.

For more information about the Engage in Green project, visit www.facebook.com/EngageInGreen