In his arrival statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the President said the new investments would be used to fund government programs concerning energy-generation, water-production and job-generation.

The investments, according to him, were signs of the growing investor confidence in the Philippines under his leadership.

“Sa Japan, hindi bababa ang new investments sa $ 2.85-billion. Kung papayag tayo, meron pang mga negosyo na hindi naman bababa sa $ 2.6-billion uli na nasa final stages ng kanilang preparation,” the President said.

“Kung tama yung math ko, (the total investment amount is) $ 5.45-billion,” he added.

Aquino said that part of the $ 2.85-billion investment would be used to fund the government’s biofuels program, including the planting of sugar cane, the main ingredient in manufacturing bioethanol, on idle lands in Isabela, Cagayan.

The Philippines, he said, could now supply more than 25 percent of the bioethanol needs of oil companies, thereby reducing their import requirements.

“Talaga naman pong paganda ng paganda ang sitwasyon natin. Ito naman po ay nakikita natin sa dumadami ng dumadaming mga investments na talaga namang tumataya ng napaka-laki,” the President said.