Oman, Philippines deepen economic ties at third bilateral forum in Manila

Manila: Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Maria Theresa Lazaro jointly inaugurated the third Oman–Philippines Forum, which is being held this year in the Philippine capital, Manila, under the theme “The Oman–Philippines Strategic Council.” The Forum brought together senior government officials and business leaders from both countries to strengthen cooperation and explore new opportunities for partnership.In his opening remarks, Sayyid Badr said the Forum reflects the strength of the relationship between Oman and the Philippines, built on friendship, mutual respect and a shared vision for progress.He noted that dialogue between the two countries has continued to evolve since the inaugural forum in Cebu, creating new opportunities for cooperation and fostering practical partnerships.He added that the Forum serves as a platform for turning ideas into practical initiatives and effective partnerships that bring together governments, the private sector, institutions and communities.He said that, in a time of rapid global change, there is a growing need to build enduring partnerships founded on trust, mutual understanding and shared values.The Foreign Minister added that Oman and the Philippines possess complementary strengths offering opportunities to expand cooperation across trade, investment, logistics, tourism, energy and technology.He said that the Filipino community in Oman remains a cornerstone of the relationship, recognising its valuable contributions to the country’s development and its role in strengthening the bonds of friendship between the two peoples.For her part, Maria Theresa Lazaro said the convening of the third Oman–Philippines Forum reflects the growing economic relationship between the two countries.She highlighted Oman’s strategic position as a gateway to the Gulf and the Philippines’ role as a gateway to ASEAN, noting that this creates opportunities to establish new trade and logistics corridors linking the two regions.She also pointed to the growth in trade during 2025 and the progress made on investment agreements, calling for deeper cooperation in fisheries, agriculture, tourism and technology to build sustainable economic partnerships.Henry Aguda, Secretary of Information and Communications Technology of the Philippines also addressed the Forum, expressing his country’s aspiration to raise cooperation with Oman from dialogue to practical implementation.He proposed launching an Oman–Philippines programme for digital innovation and smart logistics to strengthen collaboration in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, data centres and digital trade, in order to support investment, innovation and shared development.Other leading figures from the Philippines also addressed the Forum, including Ferdinand Ferrer, President of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who praised Oman’s business and investment environment, advanced logistics capabilities and modern seaports overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.He encouraged the Philippine business community to capitalise on these advantages and expand cooperation in sectors such as fisheries, agriculture and food security.Michaela Yap, Honorary Consul of the Sultanate of Oman in Cebu, delivered remarks highlighting the significant increase in participation at this year’s Forum, with more than 200 delegates from across the Philippines.She said this reflected growing interest in trade and investment opportunities between the two countries, describing the Forum as another important step towards building sustainable partnerships and strengthening relations based on trust, peace and shared development.The third Forum builds on the success of two previous Forums, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the Oman–Philippines partnership and expand economic and investment cooperation.The Forum attracted leading Philippine business executives and investors, with discussions focused on fostering connections, creating an enabling environment for investment, and exploring high-value partnerships across a range of sectors of mutual interest.The programme featured three main panel discussions covering trade and investment, logistics, and agriculture and fisheries.