Royale Cold Storage president Ferdinand Tiongson, Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, and I Squared Capital founder and managing partner Dr. Sadek Wahba (3rd to 5th from right) lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion of the Royale Cold Storage facility in Plaridel, Bulacan on Friday (Oct. 24, 2025). President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the project would help boost national cold-chain capacity and support the long-term goals of food security and sustainability. (PNA photo by Joann Villanueva)
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. lauded the expansion of Royale Cold Storage (RCS) in Plaridel, Bulacan on Friday, calling it a major step toward strengthening the Philippines’ cold-chain network and ensuring long-term food security and sustainability.
The new facility, backed by global infrastructure investor I Squared Capital, will add a 1.5-hectare site beside RCS’s existing 5-hectare complex—expanding its capacity to store and preserve fresh produce, meats, and seafood across Luzon.
“With I Squared Capital’s investment, we are creating a nationwide cold storage platform that will secure our food supply and modernize the country’s logistics chain,” Marcos said during the groundbreaking ceremony.
He emphasized that modern cold storage facilities are vital in reducing post-harvest losses—one of the main culprits behind food waste—and in stabilizing market prices by ensuring a steady supply of fresh and affordable goods.
“When we reduce wastage, we put more food on Filipino tables,” Marcos said. “When farmers and fisherfolk are assured of proper storage and fair prices, they produce more. Everyone benefits—from producers to consumers.”
RCS, the largest cold storage facility in Luzon, provides blast freezing, warehousing, and cold-chain logistics services to key agricultural and food processing hubs, including Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna, and Pangasinan.
Marcos also underscored Bulacan’s strategic role as a major food-producing province and said the project would not only enhance food preservation but also generate jobs and spur local economic growth.
“We are strengthening systems that protect what our farmers and fisherfolk work hard to produce,” he said. “This is how we build resilience and sustainability in our food economy.”
Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go noted that I Squared Capital’s investment is a strong vote of confidence in the country’s economic direction.
“The continued expansion of I Squared Capital in the Philippines demonstrates that the world sees us as a premier destination for infrastructure, growth, and innovation,” Go said. “It affirms that the administration’s reforms are making the Philippines more competitive and investor-friendly.”