Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippines and the United Arab Emirates signed a free trade agreement Tuesday, Jan. 13, marking Manila’s first such pact with a Middle Eastern country and a major step in expanding its global trade links.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, alongside UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his two-day working visit to Abu Dhabi. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Philippines by Trade Secretary Ma. Christina Roque on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week summit.
The CEPA aims to reduce tariffs, expand market access for goods and services, boost investment flows, and create new opportunities for Filipino professionals and service providers in the UAE. It also covers digital trade, micro, small and medium enterprises, sustainable development, intellectual property, competition and consumer protection, government procurement, and technical cooperation.
Philippine exports expected to benefit include bananas, pineapples, canned tuna, electronics and machinery, among other high-demand products in the Gulf market.
Bilateral trade between the Philippines and the UAE reached nearly $1.83 billion in 2024, with the UAE ranking 18th among the Philippines’ trading partners and accounting for about 39 percent of Philippine exports to the Middle East.
On services, the agreement seeks to ensure a stable and non-discriminatory environment for Filipino firms, including MSMEs, in sectors such as information technology and business process management, tourism, health care, education, construction, and professional services.
The CEPA complements the Philippines’ existing trade agreements with Japan, South Korea, the European Free Trade Association, and regional partners under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. It also reinforces earlier Philippines-UAE agreements on investment protection and cooperation in trade, energy, logistics, innovation, and tourism.
Also present at the signing were First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, Finance acting Secretary Frederick Go, and Special Envoy to the UAE for Trade and Investment Kathryna Yu-Pimentel.
The signing was followed by a brief meeting between Marcos and Sheikh Mohamed, their second since November 2024, underscoring efforts to deepen economic and strategic ties between Manila and Abu Dhabi.
