By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Senior Reporter

Turkish construction companies are looking to take part in major infrastructure projects in the Philippines under the government’s Build Better More program and the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC), Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines Niyazi Evren Akyol said.

“We are interested, in general, in joining infrastructure projects in the Philippines. There are a lot of big infrastructure projects under the Build Better More program,” Mr. Akyol told reporters on Monday.

“Türkiye has the second-largest construction sector in the world after China, and Turkish constructors have a turnout of tens of billions of dollars basically per year in the world. Therefore, there is a huge potential in the construction sector in general,” he added.

One Turkish construction company, Gülermak, is already involved in a major Philippine railway project. The company is supporting connectivity along the corridor through a joint venture working on contract package S-07 of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).

The NSCR is designed to connect Clark International Airport to Calamba, Laguna, passing through Bulacan, Pampanga and Metro Manila. The Philippine government has described the railway project as the backbone of the LEC.

“The LEC is a new initiative, and it is materializing slowly. The projects are moving forward. Of course, we will be following what tenders will be put out in the framework of the LEC, and hopefully we will attract Turkish companies there as well,” Mr. Akyol said.

The next opportunities for Turkish builders would depend on the Philippine government’s project pipeline and tender schedule, particularly for transport and connectivity works tied to the corridor.

The LEC was launched as a trilateral initiative involving the Philippines, the United States and Japan. It aims to improve connectivity among key economic hubs in Luzon, especially Subic Bay, Clark, Metro Manila and Batangas.

The partnership has since expanded to include Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Türkiye’s interest in Philippine infrastructure is part of a wider effort to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), which hosted a 12-member Turkish business delegation on Monday, said it views Türkiye as a possible gateway to European markets.

“We are looking at the benefits of having Türkiye as a partner, as a gateway towards that side of the ocean,” PCCI President Ferdinand A. Ferrer told reporters.

The Turkish delegation was composed of companies engaged in fisheries, poultry, dairy, processed meat, animal feed, beverage and agri-food industries. The companies sought to build direct links with Philippine partners and develop long-term commercial relationships.

Ali Can Yamanyilmaz, head of the delegation and vice-chair of the Mediterranean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters’ Association, said countries that are geographically distant have always carried distinct value for Turkish exporters.

“Therefore, establishing connections between our companies and the prominent institutions and enterprises of the Philippines is of paramount importance to us,” he said in his opening remarks.

“Today, we hope that the business professionals from both nations will depart from this venue having forged new and robust business connections, and that these connections will evolve into long-term partnerships in the future,” he added.

According to the Turkish Embassy, Türkiye is among the world’s leading food producers and supplies food products to more than 200 countries and territories.

In the first six months of 2026, Türkiye’s food exports to the Philippines amounted to $4.2 million. The embassy said it sees significant growth potential in dairy products, poultry, seafood and processed foods.

Mr. Akyol also said around 30 Turkish poultry companies have applied for accreditation with the Department of Agriculture (DA) so they can export their products to the Philippines.

“We are working particularly on poultry products, and there are around 30 companies (that have) applied for accreditation. The process here in the Philippines is mostly completed, and now we are arranging for a site visit,” he said.

Under the DA’s accreditation process, Philippine authorities must inspect the facilities of foreign companies that are seeking to export meat products to the country.

“We are in the process of finalizing that inspection date, and hopefully by the end of this year, that process will be completed and the Turkish firms will start selling products, particularly poultry,” Mr. Akyol said.

He also expressed optimism that a regionalization agreement would be completed by the end of the year.

Such arrangements are relevant to meat trade because market access for animal products typically depends on sanitary approvals, facility inspections and disease-control protocols agreed by the exporting and importing countries.

“We don’t expect much delay in it. By the end of this year, it should also be complete. This is our goal and expectation… So, we will hopefully have the complete package done, and Turkish poultry products will start entering the Philippine market,” he added.