President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. met with officials of Hanwha Ocean on Saturday to discuss the company’s support for the Philippine Navy’s submarine program. According to the Presidential Communications Office, Hanwha Ocean will assist in building a submarine base, setting up a local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center, and training Filipino naval officers and operators through advanced simulators and systems. During the meeting, Hanwha executives presented their plans to deploy KSS-III PN submarines equipped with state-of-the-art sonar, combat systems, and lithium-ion batteries for longer underwater endurance. They also expressed readiness for technology transfer and partnerships with local industries to strengthen the Philippines’ defense self-sufficiency. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju, where President Marcos also advanced economic and defense collaborations with South Korean firms. He also met with executives from DL Group to discuss small modular reactor (SMR) energy projects and witnessed the signing of a P50.7-billion expansion deal between PEZA and Samsung Electro-Mechanics, which is expected to generate over 3,000 high-technology jobs for Filipinos.
