MANILA – The Philippines’ strong economic performance continues to attract global investors, with I Squared Capital, a leading international infrastructure investment firm, expressing optimism in expanding its footprint in the country through a USD2-billion investment program.

The company has recently poured in USD130 million to acquire an 80-percent stake in Royale Cold Storage (RCS), one of the country’s largest cold storage providers, according to RCS president Joey Tiongson.

During the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of RCS’s facility in Plaridel, Bulacan, Tiongson said the new cold storage complex will rise on a 1.5-hectare lot adjacent to the existing five-hectare site, further boosting the company’s capacity to support the country’s agricultural value chain and food logistics network.

RCS currently operates five facilities located in Plaridel and Marilao (Bulacan), Taytay (Rizal), Cabuyao (Laguna), and Villasis (Pangasinan). The Plaridel facility alone accounts for 30 percent of total investments, underscoring its strategic importance in the company’s network.

“I Squared plans to double its investment in the coming years,” Tiongson shared, noting that while expansion is ongoing, the foreign firm’s equity stake will remain at 80 percent.

Dr. Sadek Wahba, founder and managing partner of I Squared Capital, said the firm has allocated USD30 million for the first phase of the Plaridel expansion project, with total spending expected to exceed USD100 million within the next year.

“We see enormous potential in the Philippines. The government’s drive for food security, infrastructure improvement, and a stronger power sector provides a clear growth path,” Wahba said.

He also commended the Philippine government’s ongoing economic reforms, emphasizing that these policies are “exactly what the economy needs to thrive” and noting the strong alignment between government priorities and investor expectations.

“What’s very exciting is that the Philippine government truly understands what needs to be done — something that’s not always the case in other emerging economies,” Wahba added.

With I Squared Capital’s continued expansion and confidence in the country’s direction, the Philippines is increasingly seen as a rising hub for global infrastructure and logistics investments, fueling growth across the agriculture, energy, and industrial sectors.

NPO News Team | PNA-PR