President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to lead a Philippine delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in January for the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries, following two years of negotiations.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is scheduled to be signed between January 11 and 14. She will join the President for the signing, along with Finance Secretary Frederick Go, former special adviser to the President for investment and economic affairs.
The agreement marks the conclusion of negotiations that began in May 2024 and wrapped up in the first half of 2025. The Philippines and the UAE first expressed intent to negotiate an FTA in February 2022 and signed the terms of reference in late 2023.
According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the CEPA aims to achieve at least 90 percent liberalization in tariff lines and trade value, while giving the Philippines wider access to the Gulf Cooperation Council market.
The UAE is also seen as a strategic market for Philippine exports, including halal products, tropical fruits, garments, and high-end consumer goods such as luxury watches, belts, and other leather products.
Once signed, the CEPA will become the Philippines’ fourth bilateral FTA, following agreements with South Korea in 2023, Japan in 2006, and the European Free Trade Association in 2016.
Roque said another major trade agreement targeted for signing in 2026 is the Philippines-European Union FTA, which she described as among the most comprehensive pursued by the government. Negotiations with the EU cover areas such as digital trade, energy and raw materials, goods, services and investment, capital movements, competition policy, customs, and trade facilitation.
The Philippines is also expected to sign an FTA with Chile, which would be its first trade deal with a Latin American country.
The proposed agreement is seen to strengthen complementary trade ties, with Chile providing resources, technology, and expertise, while the Philippines offers labor, services, and access to the broader ASEAN market.
Negotiations for a Philippines-Canada FTA are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026, which would mark the country’s first trade agreement with a North American partner.
Beyond the CEPA, Roque said the DTI also plans to meet with UAE-based companies during the visit to promote investment opportunities in the Philippines, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
