The UAE has been maintaining strong friendship ties with the Republic of the Philippines, even before the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between both countries on August 19, 1974, then the establishment of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi on June 17, 1980.
Bilateral relations kept flourishing, reaching a major milestone with the opening of the UAE Embassy in Manila in 1989. Since then, areas of bilateral cooperation between both countries have been extending, reaching their peak in the past few years.
The aviation sector has contributed significantly with this through opening direct flights to places outside Manila. This paved the way to explore investment and trade opportunities in other parts of the Philippines.
Despite suspension during the height of the “COVID-19” Pandemic, flights between UAE and the Philippines have been restored in the first half of 2022. Currently, there are 56 weekly flights between the two countries, with two UAE flag carriers – Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways, and two Philippine flag carriers Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
UAE’s sincere effort of maintaining and nurturing its good relations with the Philippines is evident by the exchanges of high-level visits. Continuous exchange of visits by senior officials of the two countries contributed significantly to strengthening bilateral relations. Here are some of the most important visits in the latest years:
. In October 2010, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister of UAE, spearheaded a high-level business delegation to the Philippines.
. In February 2014, a business delegation headed by the UAE Minister of Economy, H.E. Engr. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, visited the Philippines for a Business Forum which served as a venue to promote and enhance new existing trade relations between the UAE and the Philippines.
. H.E. Teodoro Locsin Jr., Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, visited the UAE in November 2021 when he met H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, at “EXPO 2020 Dubai.”
. Visits by Philippine Delegations, led by H.E. Ramon Lopez, on November 2021 and February 2022, simultaneously with the Philippines’ participation at “EXPO 2020 Dubai”. During the two visits, Sec. Lopez held meetings with H.E. Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, UAE Minister of State, and other UAE government officials and business delegations. The meetings paved the way for more advanced trade and investment relations between both countries, with an agreement on starting negotiations aiming at signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and other letter of intent by UAE investors.
. Secretary Ramon Lopez visited the UAE once again on June 2022, to sign the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA).
. Visit by the Philippine delegation to Dubai to attend the World Government Summit on February 2023, which included Secretary of Interior and Local Government, H.E. Benjamin Abalos Jr., Vice Chairperson and Executive Director of the Philippine Climate Change Commission, H.E. Robert Borje, and Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary for Finance and Internal Affairs, H.E. Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones. The Visit Also included meetings with senior UAE Officials.
. Visit by H.E. Benjamin Abalos Jr., Secretary of the Interior and Local Government of the Philippines, on May 2023, to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in which he met H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the areas of police and security. During the same visit, Secretary Abalos opened the inaugural Philippine Economic and Investment Summit (PEIS) and the 9th Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition (PPIE), the Philippines’ largest investment summit and property expo in Dubai.
More than trade and economic partnerships, UAE has also made its Development Aid an integral part of its foreign policy.
Noteworthy are the UAE efforts exerted to provide assistance for the victims of natural disasters in the Philippines through the Emirates Red Crescent.
The UAE has successfully restored 18 schools, provided health equipment to help combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, not to mention other multiple charity programs that is concerned with our Filipino friends.
On June 2023, the UAE was the first country to send aid plane carrying dozens of tons of food assistance to the effected communities by the Mayon Volcano eruption in Albay Province.
Furthermore, the last few years have witnessed a big leap forward in our bilateral partnership in many fields, especially trade, investment, agriculture, climate change, sustainable development, logistics, and labor.
The first round of political consultations between the two countries was held on January 9, 2017. Establishing a joint cooperation committee between the two countries was decided on the same year.
The extensive diplomatic efforts from both governments in 2017 culminated in the signing of four Labor Agreements between the two countries, which are:
1. The Memorandum of Understanding on Labor and Labor Cooperation
2. The Convention on the Recognition of Skilled Employment.
3. Employment in the field of domestic service.
4. The labor exchange supervision agreement were signed on 18 September 2017.
In 2018, the second round of political consultations was held in Abu Dhabi. The head of the Philippine delegation was H.E. Enrique Manalo, current Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, who was the DFA Undersecretary for Policy. He was also the head of Philippine Delegation to the third round of political consultations in Manila, 2022.
The UAE and the Republic of the Philippines are key partners in peace efforts, development, combating climate change, and much more fields. The UAE pays big attention to assisting the development programs of the Philippine government, especially those associated with peace process, out of the special status that we reserve for our Filipino friends.
Bilateral ties has peaked in the last two years. In 2021, a MoU on the establishment of a Joint Consular Committee was signed, whereas the Year 2022 has witnessed the signing of two landmark agreements between the two countries, namely the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA), and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Agricultural Cooperation, with ongoing negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Climate Change and Renewable energy represent a major pillar of the ties between the UAE and the Philippines during the last years. The UAE supports the Philippine government efforts in combating climate change, especially that it is one of the world’s most affected country by the crisis. On the other hand, the Philippine government supports the UAE Presidency of (COP28). It is highly expected that this area will witness more cooperation in the near future.
Moreover, the UAE acknowledge the precious role that Filipino workers play in the development of the country at various levels especially that it is home to around 650,000 Filipinos who consider the UAE as their second home.
Security and defense fields have also become very promising aspects of the UAE-Philippine ties. This has been made clear in 2021 with the opening of the Philippine Defense Attaché office in Abu Dhabi, the first in the Middle East Region, in addition to reciprocal meetings and visits between Filipino officials and leaders of Emirati defense industry companies.
The UAE seeks, through its Embassy in Manila, to bolster its ties with the Philippines. Therefore, we invite you to view our content to know more about the services we provide.
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