Dubai Chambers receives the First Lady of the Philippines and discusses strengthening bilateral relations

Dubai Chambers received at its headquarters today, the First Lady of the Republic of the Philippines, Louise Araneta Marcos, with the aim of discussing strengthening bilateral relations and developing joint work.

The meeting was attended by the First Lady of the Republic of the Philippines, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Chambers, Engineer Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, and Director General of Dubai Chambers, Mohammed Ali Rashid Lootah.

Engineer Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Chambers, said that the visit constitutes a qualitative milestone in the process of strengthening ties between Dubai and the Republic of the Philippines, as it contributes to opening new channels of cooperation between business communities, and we are keen to support Filipino companies and enable them to expand in regional and international markets, by taking advantage of the competitive elements that Dubai offers, including its strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and an environment that supports investment and business.

He added that Dubai Chambers continues its efforts aimed at strengthening international economic partnerships, expanding the scope of trade cooperation, and exploring strategic opportunities that contribute to advancing mutual economic growth, thus contributing to supporting Dubai’s position as a leading global center for business and investment.

The meeting witnessed the presentation of a comprehensive introductory presentation highlighting the strategic components that Dubai enjoys as a global center for doing business, the potential cooperation opportunities between Dubai and the Philippines, and the competitive advantages that the emirate provides to Filipino companies.

The visit comes in light of the growing trade and investment relations between Dubai and the Philippines, as the value of bilateral non-oil trade reached 3.1 billion dirhams in 2024, while 653 Filipino companies joined the membership of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce during the first nine months of the year 2025, bringing the total number of active Filipino companies registered in the chamber’s membership to 2,508 companies by the end of September last year.

Last year, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, organized a trade mission to the Philippines with the participation of representatives of 17 private sector companies in Dubai from a variety of sectors. During the mission’s activities, the Chamber organized 180 bilateral business meetings between member companies in the mission and their counterparts from Filipino companies to discuss prospects for cooperation, business expansion, and concluding new partnerships in all sectors.

During the mission’s activities in Manila, the Chamber also organized a forum entitled “Doing Business with the Philippines” in the presence of 314 participants. On the sidelines of the forum, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce concluded a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the aim of improving bilateral trade relations and exploring new horizons of cooperation between the business communities in Dubai and the Philippines.