Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday welcomed the offer of Portugal to help the Philippines eradicate African swine fever (ASF) that has been wreaking havoc on the country’s hog industry, as well as the European country’s willingness to open its doors to Filipino workers.

Portugal’s non-resident Ambassador to the Philippines Maria Joào Falcào Poppe Lopes Cardoso relayed the offer to Romualdez when she made a courtesy call at the West Room of the Manila Golf and Country Club, according to a news release from the Speaker’s office.

Cardoso, who is the concurrent Portuguese Ambassador to Indonesia and Brunei, said a Portuguese company is willing to lend its expertise and support to help the Philippines eliminate the highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic pigs.

She noted that Portugal has extensive expertise on the matter, being one of the only two countries in Europe that successfully eradicated ASF.

Ramon C. Garcia Jr., Portugal’s honorary consul in Manila, said an organization of pork producers in Portugal is willing to send two experts in the Philippines to train personnel of the Bureau of Animal Industry in eradicating ASF.

Reports earlier said that as of June 1, there are 15 provinces in the Philippines that have active ASF cases, although there were fewer detections in the past few weeks.

Meanwhile, Cardoso also said Filipino workers, particularly with their proficiency in the English language, are welcome in the booming Portuguese tourism industry.

She said many Portuguese firms, particularly those involved in technology, are also interested in doing business in the Philippines.

The Portuguese ambassador noted that one of their hi-tech firms specializing in biometrics and e-gates and currently serving over 100 airports in the world has entered into a joint venture with a Filipino company to pilot test their services that could increase the capacity of airports by facilitating the entry and exit of passengers.

Garcia added that the Portuguese firm is willing to establish their regional headquarters here in the Philippines and put up a factory, to service the technical needs of all these airports, thus creating jobs for Filipino workers.

Cardoso also said another Portuguese firm has partnered with a Filipino firm, and offered its secure communication technology to the Philippine defense establishment.

In response, Romualdez said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is the foremost advocate of utilizing technology and sincerely welcomes foreign investors in the Philippines.

“Besides, it makes a lot of sense for your companies to locate here, (the Philippines) being among the fastest growing economies in the world,” he said.

He also committed to endorse the various propositions to the concerned agencies of the Executive Department for appropriate action to advance Portugal’s offer of assistance as well as other initiatives to expand bilateral trade and cooperation in areas of technology and defense.

“These propositions are of great mutual interest to both countries,” Romualdez said. (PNA)