PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his participation in the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) has been "very productive."
In an interview with the Philippine media delegation in South Korea on Saturday, November 1, 2025, Marcos said the subjects discussed during the summit were "the most important."
"It's worth the fatigue and the starvation," he said.
In a joint declaration of the 21 Apec country-members, they vowed to advance economic integration in the region in a manner that is market-driven, including through the work on the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) agenda.
They said that while the region stands at a pivotal juncture, with the global trading system continuing to face significant challenges, they will continue working together to enhance experience sharing, capacity building, business engagement, and technical cooperation efforts among members, aimed at strengthening member economies' readiness to participate in high standard and comprehensive regional undertakings.
"Further, the rapid advancement of transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence, and demographic shifts that are reshaping labor markets, carry profound and long-term implications for Apec member economies," they said.
"In this regard, we call for strengthened cooperation and concrete actions to enable economic growth that benefits all," they added.
In the sideline of the event, Marcos met with top leaders of various South Korean firms such as Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. Ltd. (Semco), shipbuilding giant Hanwha Ocean and DL Group.
The Marcos administration has secured a landmark P50.7-billion investment from Samsung Electro-Mechanics Philippine Corporation (Semphil) -- the first project to be granted Presidential Incentives under the Create More Act (Republic Act 12066), which translates to over 3,000 new jobs for Filipinos.
Semphil is the Philippine subsidiary of South Korea's Semco, a global leader in advanced electronics and semiconductor technology.
As of December 2024, the company already employs over 7,000 Filipinos and accounts for nearly half of Semco's worldwide multilayer ceramic capacitors output.
Marcos said this marks a major milestone in the government's efforts to attract strategic, high-value investments and create more quality jobs for Filipinos.
The President said the company has committed to tie up with several universities in the Philippines to train Filipino workers and conduct research and development in the country.
The project is expected to begin commercial operations by July 2027.
Marcos' meeting with Hanwha centered on the company's proposal to support the Philippine Navy's submarine program through the construction of a submarine base; the establishment of a local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center; and the training of Filipino naval operators, maintainers, and commanders using advanced simulators and systems.
The firm's leaders also informed the President of its plans for the deployment of KSS-III PN submarines equipped with modern sonar and combat systems and lithium-ion batteries for longer underwater endurance, along with technology transfer and partnerships with local industries to advance the Philippines' self-reliant defense capability.
DL Group, meanwhile, is partnering with Meralco to pursue small modular reactor (SMR) projects in the Philippines.
SMRs are compact nuclear plants that can safely produce clean, stable energy using less land and shorter construction periods than traditional facilities.
The company launched a feasibility study in August 2025 for a 320-megawatt SMR in the near term.
Marcos also met with Chilean President Gabriel Boric for the finalization of the Philippines-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)