By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Senior Reporter
TURKISH construction companies are seeking to participate in major Philippine infrastructure projects under the Build Better More program and the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines Niyazi Evren Akyol said.
“We are interested, in general, in joining infrastructure projects in the Philippines. There are a lot of big infrastructure projects under the Build Better More program,” Mr. Akyol told reporters on Monday.
“Türkiye has the second-largest construction sector in the world after China, and Turkish constructors have a turnout of tens of billions of dollars basically per year in the world. Therefore, there is a huge potential in the construction sector in general,” he added.
Turkish construction company Gülermak is currently involved in a major railway project, supporting connectivity along the corridor through a joint venture working on contract package S-07 of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).
The NSCR will connect Clark International Airport to Calamba, Laguna, via Bulacan, Pampanga and Metro Manila. The government has described the railway as the backbone of the LEC.
“The LEC is a new initiative, and it is materializing slowly. The projects are moving forward. Of course, we will be following what tenders will be put out in the framework of the LEC, and hopefully we will attract Turkish companies there as well,” Mr. Akyol said.
The LEC was launched as a trilateral initiative among the Philippines, the US and Japan to improve connectivity among Luzon’s key economic hubs, particularly Subic Bay, Clark, Metro Manila and Batangas.
The partnership has since expanded to include Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the UK. Türkiye’s interest in Philippine infrastructure forms part of its broader push to deepen bilateral trade and investment.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), which welcomed a 12-member Turkish business delegation on Monday, said it sees Türkiye as a potential gateway to European markets.
“We are looking at the benefits of having Türkiye as a partner, as a gateway towards that side of the ocean,” PCCI President Ferdinand A. Ferrer told reporters.
The delegation consisted of Turkish companies operating in the fisheries, poultry, dairy, processed meat, animal feed, beverage and agri-food industries. They sought to establish direct connections with Philippine partners and develop long-term commercial relationships.
Ali Can Yamanyilmaz, head of the delegation and vice-chair of the Mediterranean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters’ Association, said geographically distant countries have always held distinct value for Turkish exporters.
“Therefore, establishing connections between our companies and the prominent institutions and enterprises of the Philippines is of paramount importance to us,” he said in his opening remarks.
“Today, we hope that the business professionals from both nations will depart from this venue having forged new and robust business connections, and that these connections will evolve into long-term partnerships in the future,” he added.
According to the embassy, Türkiye is among the world’s leading food producers, supplying food products to more than 200 countries and territories.
In the first six months of 2026, Türkiye’s food exports to the Philippines totaled $4.2 million. The embassy sees significant growth potential in dairy products, poultry, seafood and processed foods.
Meanwhile, Mr. Akyol said around 30 Turkish poultry companies have applied for accreditation with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to export their products to the Philippines.
“We are working particularly on poultry products, and there are around 30 companies (that have) applied for accreditation. The process here in the Philippines is mostly completed, and now we are arranging for a site visit,” he said.
As part of the DA’s accreditation process, Philippine authorities must inspect the facilities of foreign companies seeking to export meat products to the country.
“We are in the process of finalizing that inspection date, and hopefully by the end of this year, that process will be completed and the Turkish firms will start selling products, particularly poultry,” he added.
Mr. Akyol also expressed optimism that a regionalization agreement will be completed by year’s end.
“We don’t expect much delay in it. By the end of this year, it should also be complete. This is our goal and expectation… So, we will hopefully have the complete package done, and Turkish poultry products will start entering the Philippine market,” he added.
