The Philippines continues to strengthen its position as an attractive destination for UK exporters, particularly in agriculture, infrastructure, and cybersecurity, according to British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) Vice Chair Chris Nelson. He emphasized that as the country assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship, its profile as a competitive investment hub in Southeast Asia is further elevated—making it a strategic entry point for British companies looking to expand in the region.
Highlighting growing opportunities in UK meat exports to the Philippines, BCCP and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) successfully concluded a three-day UK meat trade mission from 18–20 November 2025. The delegation, led by AHDB International Trade Development Director Jonathan Eckley, included representatives from Dunbia, Foyle Food Group, and QK Meats, underscoring the UK’s interest in strengthening its agricultural trade footprint in Asia.
Preliminary data from the Department of Agriculture’s Trade System revealed that from January to September 2025, the Philippines imported 580,764 kilograms of UK beef and 15,372,030 kilograms of UK pork. AHDB also reported that the Philippines remains the second-largest market for UK pork exports in Asia, next only to China. UK meat and meat preparations exported to the country reached £29.9 million, with expectations of continued growth as demand for high-quality imported pork and beef rises.
Beyond agriculture, Nelson highlighted strong prospects in infrastructure development and cybersecurity, two sectors where the UK holds recognized global expertise. He cited the UK Government’s Mobilist program, which invested $10 million in the Maynilad Water Services IPO, as an example of expanding British participation in the Philippines’ water infrastructure sector.
He also pointed to the UK–Southeast Asia Tech Week 2025 held in Manila last March, which showcased British strengths in AI, cybersecurity, and fintech—signaling growing investor confidence in the Philippine digital economy. BCCP currently partners with cybersecurity firms CyberQ Group and NCC Group, both of which are active in supporting the country’s cybersecurity landscape.
UK–Philippines trade reached £3.0 billion in the four quarters ending Q2 2025, reflecting a 6.5% year-on-year increase and positioning the Philippines as the UK’s 59th largest trading partner. Nelson stressed that strengthening legislation will be essential to sustaining this upward economic trajectory.
“The Philippines is a good place to set up an entry point to Southeast Asia, and we have been encouraging British companies to explore the wider region,” Nelson said. “We are working very hard, but we want to see legislation passed—and we want to see those move forward.”