The Government of Sweden is expanding its infrastructure cooperation with the Philippines through participation in the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), which focuses on transport, logistics, energy and digital infrastructure development across the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas corridor.
Sweden joined the expanded LEC partnership alongside Australia, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The initiative was originally launched in 2024 by the Philippines, the United States and Japan to support strategic infrastructure and economic connectivity projects in Luzon.
According to the Embassy of Sweden in Manila, Sweden plans to explore additional investments and grant opportunities together with the Philippine government and development partners. As part of its initial participation, Swedish state-owned development financier Swedfund has committed a PHP74 million grant to support feasibility studies for signalling systems and operational planning related to a proposed freight railway linking Subic, Clark, Manila and Batangas.
Sweden is also considering future cooperation in public transportation, energy efficiency, power grid development, connectivity infrastructure and sustainable mining technologies. Swedish officials noted that approximately 40 to 50 Swedish companies are already active in the Philippines, with further expansion opportunities being evaluated.
The Swedish Embassy also stated that the proposed Philippines-European Union free trade agreement could further strengthen trade and investment cooperation between Sweden and the Philippines.