MANILA: With the fresh commitment of Unilever to invest PHP4.7 billion in the Philippines during the visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to Brussels, the multinational consumer goods manufacturer aims to make the country its global hub for sustainability.
In a virtual press briefing Friday, Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC) Assistant Secretary Glenn Peñaranda said one of the core plans of Unilever Philippines is to make its operations here a global hub for sustainability.
“Mr. Ben Yap also shared that it (sustainability) will also be at the core of their plans for the Philippines. His aspirations is to make Unilever Philippines as global hub for sustainability,” Peñaranda said.
He added that the new investments will also enhance the country’s competitiveness locally and regionally in the manufacturing of fast-moving consumer goods as Unilever automates and digitizes its operations.
“We expressed to President Marcos our long-term commitment to sustainable and responsible growth in the country, and we are optimistic that our new PHP4.7-billion investment in a future-fit personal care factory in Cavite will contribute to the Philippine manufacturing sector’s competitiveness as we employ highly advanced technologies, with the potential to qualify the facility for the World Economic Forum’s Advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution Lighthouse,” Unilever Philippines chairman Benjie Yap said.
Board of Investments (BOI) director Eries Cagatan emphasized that the PHP4.7-billion expansion project of Unilever that will use fourth industrial revolution technology will not only automate and digitize the local operations of the company, but it will also increase its capacity of producing personal care products like skin care, hair care and deodorant by 15 percent.
She added that Unilever will add 130 employees with the expansion.
The new plant in General Trias, Cavite will be inaugurated by first quarter next year.
Cagatan said Unilever has been investing in sustainability in its Philippine operations. Its three facilities here are fully sourcing power from geothermal plants, while its office operation in Bonifacio Global City sources from solar power
Source: Philippines News Agency
