Philippines’ Marcos Invites Malaysian Investors As Mindanao Gears Up For Economic Revival

By Linda Khoo & Nur Atiq Maisarah Suhaimi

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Mindanao is emerging as a promising investment destination, attracting strong interest - including from Malaysia - to spur economic growth as peace and stability take hold in the southern Philippines.

As the first-ever parliamentary election of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is set to be held on March 26 next year, Marcos described the southern Philippine island as a “promised land.”

However, he said the region’s vast potential had long remained untapped due to years of conflict.

“We are now in the midst of planning the parliamentary election (for BARMM)… That is a huge step because it has never happened before. I think that once we get that, there will be many, many offers of investment,” he said in an exclusive interview with Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.

Marcos was in Kuala Lumpur to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, which concluded on Tuesday.

He said peace in the southern region has paved the way for renewed investor confidence, with Malaysia, Japan, the European Union, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) among those supporting Mindanao’s economic transformation through projects in infrastructure, agriculture, and education.

“They have made many significant offers to help build up the economy once we reach the point of having an elected parliament. 

“Right now, it is still a transition authority, but once we shift towards an elected parliament, we will be able to take advantage of all these opportunities. We are very much looking forward to that,” he said. 

As the Philippines’ food basket, Mindanao accounts for 36 per cent of the nation’s farmland and 42 per cent of its total food trade, with major outputs in banana, coconut, cacao, coffee, and tuna. 

Media reported that Mindanao’s economy is poised for revival as Malaysian business leaders showed strong interest in investing across the island’s fast-growing sectors, following a high-level trade and investment mission led by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) last week.

The Philippines–Malaysia Business Networking Session, held here on Oct 23, drew prominent Malaysian corporate and investment figures keen to explore Mindanao’s potential as an emerging hub for agribusiness, halal industry development, infrastructure, and clean energy.

According to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Malaysia recorded a trade surplus of RM1.37 billion with the Philippines in August 2025, with exports amounting to RM2.06 billion and imports at RM689 million.

The main exports to the Philippines were integrated circuits (RM341 million), palm oil (RM245 million) and refined petroleum (RM101 million).

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s key imports from the Philippines comprised integrated circuits (RM225 million), cocoa beans (RM32.8 million) and electric batteries (RM29.1 million).

According to the data, the Philippines’ exports to Malaysia rose 10.3 per cent year-on-year to US$226 million in August 2025, compared with US$204 million in the same month last year.

-- BERNAMA