Thai cement, food firms cue expansion in PH
Two Thai companies have signaled plans to expand their Philippine operations following talks with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Prospective investments are expected to generate more jobs in the construction and agro-industrial sectors.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque met on Jan. 30 with officials of fiber cement manufacturer Shera Public Company Ltd. and food conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Co. Ltd. (CPF). Both firms already operate in the Philippines.
In a statement, the DTI said CPF executives expressed interest in building their business in the Philippines “more and more.” This is particularly so in agro-farming and aquaculture, the company’s core strengths.
CPF also has operations in animal feed production, food processing and sustainable agriculture.
“The food security business is important because of our growing population,” Roque said.
CPF invested more than $2 billion when it entered the Philippine market in 2010. Citing a 35-percent growth in its local operations, the company said it plans to expand its existing sites across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. This is a move that is expected to create additional jobs.
Overtake
Eventually, the company envisions the “Philippines to overtake Vietnam in a few years,” CPF Philippines chair Sakol Cheewakoset said.
Roque vowed that the government would support CPF’s expansion plans. The company underscored the need for stronger backing, especially in the construction of farm facilities.
Meanwhile, Shera Public is also looking to scale its Philippine operations. The company currently produces about 120,000 metric tons of fiber cement products annually in the country.
The DTI said Shera Public generated P2.7 billion in revenues and employed 150 Filipino workers in 2025.
“We want the second phase of our investment to supply the entire country, and we plan to achieve that by investing more,” Shera Public CEO Ongon Taechahamaphant said in his meeting with Roque.
