BAGUIO, Philippines – Poland is set to partner with Cordillera and mining companies in the region on valuable metal processing initiatives.
Bartek Wasiewski, head of the Poland Foreign Trade Office in Manila, said he also sees potential for other trade opportunities in Northern Luzon.
Wasiewski and his team were in Baguio to meet with city officials and private sector representatives to discuss possible investments.
According to Wasiewski, Poland is currently exploring two investment opportunities in the Philippines. One involves establishing data centers, a project already underway in Bicol that may expand to the Cordillera region. The other focuses on processing metal ores, particularly those vital to the semiconductor industry.
“Metal ores being excavated here are going to be turned into high-quality metal powders without needing to bring them to China for metallurgical processing,” Wasiewski said.
He said the metals would include nickel, cobalt, and tin, which are essential for the electronics industry, particularly for microchips and semiconductors.
Wasiewski noted that Australia, for example, still sends its metals to China for smelting, which requires substantial investment.
He said a partnership with Poland would benefit both countries. He said these transactions could be realized within a year or two.
In 2020, Poland was the Philippines’ 32nd largest trading partner, 26th largest export market, and 41st largest import source. – Rappler.com