Thank you, Finance Secretary Secretary Alfred Go. The US Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Lee Lipton. Members of the cabinet that are here present with us today. The esteemed members, their excellencies of the diplomatic corps. The Chargé d'Affaires on a show of Japan to the Philippines. US Trade and Development Agency Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Thomas Hardy. Our key partners and stakeholders from the private and public sectors. My fellow workers in government. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good morning. It is a pleasure to welcome all of you to the 2026 Luzon Economic Corridor Investment Forum. I thank the governments of United States and Japan for co-hosting this forum with the Philippines. And the United States Trade and Development Agency for bringing together the leaders from government, industry, and finance. When we launched the LEC with the United States and Japan in 2024, we set out to strengthen the connections among Subic Bay, Clark, Metro Manila, and Batangas. That vision has since drawn wider support. Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, and the UK have joined as partner countries, bringing additional expertise, resources, and private sector capabilities. This growing interest reflects confidence in the Philippines as a reliable partner and an attractive destination for long-term investment. The corridor brings together areas with distinct but complementary strengths. Subic Bay is a strategic maritime and industrial gateway. Clark is emerging as a center for aviation, logistics, technology, and urban development. Metro Manila remains the country's commercial and financial center. Batangas is a major base for manufacturing, energy, and international trade. By connecting these areas more efficiently, we are creating a powerful economic platform for Luzon and the entire country. The LEC is not simply a collection of infrastructure projects. It is our strategy for organizing growth. We are moving from identifying possibilities to preparing projects, from expressions of interest to commercial partnerships, from a shared vision of two investments that can be implemented and objectively measured. This comes at an important time. Global supply chains are being redesigned. Technology is transforming how goods are produced and services are delivered. Businesses are seeking reliable locations where they can invest for the long term, where they can reach growing markets and draw from a capable workforce. The Philippines intends to be one of those locations. We offer a growing domestic market, access to major trade routes, a young and talented population, and strong economic relationships across the world. We are reinforcing these advantages through better connectivity, reliable energy, modern digital infrastructure, and stronger domestic industries. We are improving the movement of people and goods across the corridor. This will reduce costs, support manufacturing and trade, and help Filipino enterprises reach larger markets. We are expanding our energy capacity to meet the needs of industry and our communities. We are developing renewable resources, strengthening the grid, and pursuing a reliable technology a pursuing reliable technologies that support both economic growth and environmental responsibility. We are also building the digital foundations of a modern economy. We are expanding secure connectivity and advanced computing infrastructure. We are strengthening cybersecurity and establishing safeguards for the responsible use of AI. The Philippines already has a strong base of digitally capable workers. We are enabling them to move into the higher value work and helping Filipino enterprises become creators, not merely users of the new technologies. We want our country to help design and build the solutions that will shape our future. The Philippines has long been a trusted participant in global semiconductor and electronics production. We are now moving further into design, research, engineering, and other high-value activities. Our location and skilled workforce likewise provide a strong foundation for shipbuilding, ship repair, marine engineering, and other maritime industries. We are developing the capabilities needed to establish the Philippines as a more competitive maritime hub. We are also developing our critical mineral sector responsibly and strategically. Our ambition goes beyond extracting and exporting raw resources. We want more value to be created here through domestic processing, manufacturing, research, innovation with strong environmental safeguards and clear benefits for our affected communities. Across all these sectors, our goal is not simply to to attract investment. We want investment that strengthens our economy and expands Filipino capability. We want companies to establish long-term operations, transfer knowledge and technology, develop Filipino talent, and work with local suppliers. We want Filipino enterprises to become producers, innovators, exporters, and investors in their own right. And we want Filipinos to capture a greater share of the value created in our country. This is why we are investing in our greatest asset, our people. We are bringing government, educational institutions, and industry together to prepare our workforce for the jobs of today and the industries of tomorrow. We are also making it easier and more predictable to do business. Through the CREATE MORE Act, the public-private partnership code, the green lane system for strategic investments, and continuing regulatory reforms, we are simplifying procedures and providing investors with greater clarity. We understand what long-term investors require. Consistent rules, credible institutions, timely decisions, and commitments that are honored. We are directing the whole of government to operate as one team. National agencies and local governments are working with the private sector, our universities, and international partners to move priority investments forward. This is an all-of-nation effort. Government will provide direction and a stable investment environment. The private sector will bring capital, technology, expertise, and the capacity to transform plans into productive enterprises. Our partners will contribute financing, knowledge, and international experience. Our responsibility is to bring these capabilities together and to translate those into results. To the investors and business leaders here today, I invite you, build with us. Build your next enterprise here in the Philippines. Bring your capital, technology, your expertise. Develop Filipino talent and local suppliers. Form lasting partnerships with our businesses and our communities. You can place your trust in the Philippines. We know that trust is earned through consistent action. So, we will continue providing that stability, the infrastructure, the talent, and the responsive government that long-term investment requires. We want to succeed here. We want you to succeed here because your success will create opportunities for our people. We want you to regard the Philippines not simply as another market, but as a trusted partner and a place where you can build, innovate, and grow for generations. The success of the LEC will not be measured by the number of meetings that we hold or projects that we announce. It will be measured by what we finance, by what we build, what we place into operation, by the jobs, the enterprises, and the opportunities that we create for our people. The Philippines is ready. Let us turn confidence into firm commitments, commitments into enduring partnerships, and partnerships into progress that our people can see and feel. Come and build with us. Invest in the Filipino. Place your trust in the Philippines. And together, let us build a more connected and competitive Luzon and through it a stronger and more inclusive Philippines.