President Marcos said that the newly opened Maersk Optimus Distribution Center will bring the country's logistics system a step closer to becoming a "powerful force" that will bridge the country's islands, breathe life into different industries, and bring people together toward development.
READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/30/maersk-center-boost-ph-logistics
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READ: https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/30/maersk-center-boost-ph-logistics
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NewsTranscript
00:00For many in our country, the idea of logistics seems like an abstract concept.
00:07When we order goods online, we often overlook that this intricate system
00:12that moves goods across our islands from farms to markets, warehouses to homes,
00:17yet quietly keeps the rhythm of our daily lives ensuring food on our tables,
00:23medicine for the sick, and packages at our doorstep.
00:28Without logistics, the seamless flow of our lives and conveniences
00:33we have grown accustomed to would simply break.
00:36But beyond keeping the flow of commerce seamless, logistics also fuels our economy
00:42and creates jobs for our people.
00:45We hear at this point, especially after the pandemic,
00:50a lot of talk about supply chains and robust supply chains.
00:56And this arise from the lessons that we have learned during the pandemic
00:59where supply chains were broken and many of them no longer came back.
01:06And therefore, the lessons learned from the pandemic
01:09are that those supply chains have to be robust.
01:13And when such a tragedy such as the pandemic hits us,
01:19that we still have the capability to move people and goods around.
01:23Facilities such as this are the nodes of that supply chain.
01:29Everything that we receive in our homes,
01:33all the deliveries that we receive in our businesses
01:36have to go through a facility like this
01:41so that they organize, as you can see,
01:44the goods that need to be moved on to their final destination.
01:50That is why today's inauguration is so important.
01:55The journey of the Philippine logistics sector
01:58has been marked by our ability to overcome challenges and to seize new opportunities.
02:04Following its growth in 2018 and 2019,
02:08the transportation and storage industry has withstood unprecedented disruptions
02:14as I spoke about the pandemic.
02:17But despite this, the sector has rebounded.
02:20And in the second quarter of this year,
02:22the transport and storage sector posted a growth of 14.8%.
02:27It ranked second only to construction
02:32as the fastest growing industry in the Philippines.
02:36This growth is sustained by more than 3.68 million Filipinos
02:41who are employed in this sector in the first half of 2024.
02:47The transport and storage sector is also projected to achieve a market size
02:52of over 1.16 trillion pesos by 2027.
02:58This reflects the rapid and stable pace of its development.
03:02Globally, the Philippines logistics sector has shown marked improvement in competitiveness.
03:08In the World Bank's 2023 Logistics Performance Index,
03:13we climbed to the 43rd spot out of 139 economies.
03:18A great improvement from our previous place at 60th in 2018.
03:25Our gains in customs efficiency, infrastructure quality,
03:29on-time deliveries make this rank improvement possible.
03:34With the grand opening of the Maersk Optimus Distribution Center,
03:39our logistics system will be a step closer to become a powerful force,
03:44bridging our islands, breathing life into our industries, our businesses,
03:48bringing together our people on a path towards sustained development.
03:53The Maersk Optimus Distribution Center
03:56attests to the shared vision of Maersk Philippines and Solid Group Incorporated,
04:01a vision for a more inclusive and sustainable growth.
04:06As one of the largest logistics centers in the country,
04:09the Maersk Optimus Distribution Center is poised to bolster import and export activities
04:16in Southern Luzon, especially in Bicol and Calabarzon.
04:21This strategic location in Calamba aligns with our efforts to decongest Manila
04:26and to unlock the economic potential in the countryside.
04:30With this project, it is our citizens who stand to benefit the most.
04:35For many Filipinos, it opens many new doors.
04:38In the coming years, the Maersk Optimus Distribution Center
04:43is expected to create employment for 1,000 people in its surrounding communities
04:49and indirect employment for another 1,000 individuals,
04:54from vendors and service providers to truckers and beyond.
04:58And I think Secretary Chris Rock will agree with me.
05:02Those are very conservative numbers
05:08because generally speaking, when a large plant such as this is put up in a community,
05:15the downstream employment that comes,
05:19both the full employment and partial employment,
05:22is usually three times the direct employment in the facility.
05:29So it is a great boon to the local community.
05:33And this company will be doing it in a sustainable manner, as we have heard.
05:37In line with its social responsibility,
05:40this center has embraced environmentally sustainable practices.
05:47From utilizing solar power to reduce its grid consumption by 30 percent
05:52to deploying electric vehicles for the last mile services,
05:56it is committed to earning a gold certification
06:00under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
06:04Environmental stewardship is a cornerstone of this administration's agenda,
06:09and it is heartening to see the private sector partners echoing this commitment.
06:15It is more critical as we face natural calamities such as the typhoons and storms
06:20that have intensified because of climate change.
06:23Your values as a company align with this administration's priorities
06:28to transition to cleaner and more renewable sources of energy.
06:32It is imperative for both the public and private sectors
06:35to adopt effective, responsive, and ecologically sound practices.
06:40As such, it is our fervent hope that your investment will continue to grow,
06:45and we hope, like other like-minded businesses,
06:48they will take stock of the country's logistics sector as we continue to pursue measures
06:53to reduce costs and make industry more competitive.
06:57To Maersk Philippines and Solid Group Incorporated,
07:00thank you for spearheading this initiative.
07:03I urge you to build more agile and flexible end-to-end supply chains,
07:08fortifying the groundwork of a more competitive industry for all.
07:12Let this day reaffirm our commitment to constructing a Bagong Pilipinas
07:18where we work hand-in-hand to ensure that prosperity flows into every corner of our archipelago.
07:26Mabuhay kayong lahat.
07:27Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas.
07:29At magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat.
07:38For more UN videos visit www.un.org