The UAE has been maintaining strong friendship ties with the Republic of the Philippines, since formal diplomatic relations between both countries were established on August 19, 1974.
Bilateral relations kept flourishing, reaching major milestones with the opening of the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi in 1980, and 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 contributed significantly to the evolving ties by operating direct flights to places outside Manila. This paved the way to explore investment and trade opportunities in other parts of the Philippines.
Currently, there are 59 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.
Continuous exchange of visits by senior officials of the two countries contributed effectively to strengthening bilateral relations. Following are key official visits in the last few years:
More than trade and economic partnerships, the UAE has also made its humanitarian and development aids an integral part of its foreign policy.
The UAE provides assistance to aiming at poverty alleviation, fighting epidemics, and helping victims of natural disasters and conflicts in the Philippines.
Through the Emirates Red Crescent, the UAE rehabilitated 18 schools, provided health equipment, and built new mosque in the Philippine Region of Samar after it was destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
In 2021 and 2022, the UAE donated to the Philippines 50 RT-PCR Machines with test kits, 100,000 doses of vaccine, and other medical supplies to help combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UAE was the first country to provide aid to victims of the Mayon Volcano Eruption in June 2023, as it donated 51 tons of food supplies for the evacuees in Albay Province.
It also donated, in February 2024, $100,000 worth of relief aids to victims of floods in Mindanao.
Over the last years, the country has been executing multiple charity programs meant to provide food, clothes, healthcare, Hajj, water supply systems, electricity infrastructure, cultural and educational services. Some Charitable programs are being implemented many times annually, like the Noor Dubai foundation, which conducted free cataract surgical caravans two times in the Philippines between November 2023 and February 2024. Also, Emirates Red Crescent and Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation Sponsor daily caterings, distribution of food and clothes during Ramadan, Eid’ul Fittr and Eid’ul Adha.
Aside from that, the last few years have witnessed a big leap forward in bilateral partnership in many fields, especially trade, investment, agriculture, food security, 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 was decided on the same year.
The extensive diplomatic efforts by both governments in 2017 culminated in the signing of four Labor Agreements, which are:
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.
Bilateral ties have flourished in the last three years.
In 2021, a MoU on the establishment of a Joint Consular Committee was signed, whereas the Year 2022 witnessed the signing of three agreements, namely the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA), the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Agricultural Cooperation, and the MoU on promoting research and development between both countries’ space agencies.
Ties were even more vibrant in 2023 as 3 more MoUs were signed, which covered the fields of air services, climate change, and digital infrastructure, in addition to the conclusion of the terms of reference of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with negotiations to sign the landmark free trade agreement are currently in progress.
Climate Change and Renewable energy have been major pillars of ties between the UAE and the Philippines over the last years. The UAE supports the Philippine government efforts in combating climate change.
On the other hand, the Philippine government supported the UAE Presidency of (COP28). It is highly expected that this area will witness more cooperation in the near future.
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 OFWs who consider the UAE as their second home.
Security and defense fields have also become very promising fields of the UAE-Philippine ties. In 2021 the Philippines opened in Abu Dhabi its first Defense Attaché office in the Middle East Region.
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.
