The British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) is urging the Philippines to use its 2026 ASEAN chairmanship as a strategic platform to attract more British investments, as trade between the two countries continues to grow and the number of UK firms operating locally rises.
UK-Philippine total trade in goods and services reached £3.0 billion in the four quarters ending Q2 2025, an upward trend the Chamber wants to build on next year despite global and domestic economic headwinds.
Speaking at the Chamber’s annual media briefing, BCCP Executive Vice Chairman Chris Nelson said the Philippines must position itself more aggressively as a regional gateway for British companies looking to expand in Southeast Asia.
“Our work at the Chamber has always been to encourage UK companies to come to the Philippines not only because it is an important market in its own right, but it should be a gateway to Southeast Asia and actually to other trading areas to which the Philippines belongs,” Nelson said.
He cautioned, however, that regional competition for foreign investment remains intense.
“However, you are not competing in isolation as other countries are also progressing, and therefore, you have to move at their speed and that is what we are trying to achieve,” he added.
Nelson cited the Chamber’s continuing engagement with the Philippine-British Business Council (PBBC), the Philippine Embassy in London, the British Embassy in Manila, and relevant Philippine government agencies to help unlock trade and investment opportunities.
He also pointed to existing trade mechanisms that can be better utilized by exporters and investors on both sides, including the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) and the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO).
Launched in 2023, the DCTS aims to lower tariffs, expand market access, and simplify trade rules for Filipino exporters entering the UK market.
Meanwhile, JETCO—established in March 2025—created sectoral working groups to identify opportunities and deepen collaboration in areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, renewable energy, and economic development.
Nelson further noted that the Philippines’ application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in August 2025 could strengthen regional trade ties, particularly with the UK already part of the bloc.
On the investment front, Nelson highlighted the growing footprint of British companies in the Philippines, especially within economic zones. Data from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) show that 75 UK companies are now operating in ecozones, with total investments reaching ₱45.44 billion as of October 20, 2025.
Looking ahead, Nelson underscored the country’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2026 as a critical opportunity to signal policy readiness and competitiveness to global investors.
“From an optimistic point of view, I think the Philippines being Chair of ASEAN is a very good opportunity, if it is done properly and supported well. I think the Marcos administration, all credit, has seen the passage of legislations, which we have supported,” he said.
He stressed that legislative reforms remain essential to keeping pace with regional peers.
“To reemphasize this point, you are competing with many other countries. In that context, passing key legislation on cybersecurity and digital payments along with others, can leverage market opportunities for foreign investors,” Nelson added.