BUDAPEST—Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. met with officials of the Hungarian Watertechnology Corporation (HWTC) in Erd, Hungary, on February 14 and looked into possible synergies between Philippine and Hungarian companies in enhancing economic relations and exploring new avenues for cooperation.
HWTC Chief Executive Officer Adrian Kiss welcomed Locsin to the company headquarters and presented the possible areas for cooperation between their countries’ businesses.
Accompanying Locsin at HWTC was retired ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., who is also a consultant for Ayala Corporation—one of the largest conglomerates in the Philippines involved in real estate, water management, renewable energy and infrastructure.
HWTC officials have previously visited the Philippines to personally see Laguna de Bay and discuss possible projects with the Laguna Lake Development Authority. They have also offered support to the Philippine government through possible cooperation with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to improve the government’s capabilities to utilize state-of-the-art water technology in times of calamities.
Locsin conveyed the appreciation of the Philippines for Hungary’s donation of a water-treatment facility, which is still in operation today, to the people of Eastern Samar after the destruction caused by Supertyphoon Yolanda (international code name: Haiyan) in 2013.
The DFA Chief also welcomed the European country’s further assistance that can help Filipinos, whose lives were affected by natural and man-made disasters, including families in Marawi City, which was destroyed by terrorist activity in 2017.
The secretary also invited Hungary to look into applying its expertise toward the rehabilitation of Lake Lanao.
He was shown the various types of compact water-treatment units of HWTC during his visit, as well as the activities in different countries of Hungarian companies Rafako and Animative through their respective officials. DFA
Image credits: Budapest PE