Dubai International Chamber has opened its first representative office in Manila, signaling a strategic push to deepen investment flows and expand cross-border business opportunities between the Philippines and Dubai.
The move comes as bilateral momentum strengthens, with non-oil trade between Dubai and the Philippines rising 17% to AED 3.58 billion in 2025, underscoring the Gulf emirate’s growing importance as a gateway for Filipino companies seeking international expansion.
“The Philippines is one of Dubai’s fastest-growing trade partners in Southeast Asia,” said Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers. “The Manila office will support Filipino companies in exploring opportunities in Dubai and scaling their global footprint.”
The expansion is backed by a surge in Filipino business presence in Dubai. As of end-2025, 2,592 Philippine companies were registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, marking a 23.3% year-on-year increase, with 856 new firms joining during the year.
Positioned as a two-way investment gateway, the Manila office will provide market intelligence, facilitate partnerships, and connect businesses to opportunities across sectors, while promoting Dubai as a strategic hub for global trade and capital.
The office is also expected to support Dubai-based firms eyeing entry into the Philippine market by offering local insights, identifying investment prospects, and enabling connections with key partners.
The launch was attended by senior officials and business leaders, including Louise Araneta-Marcos and Mohamed Obaid Salem Al Qatam Alzaabi, highlighting the growing alignment in economic priorities between the two markets.
The Manila expansion builds on earlier engagement efforts, including a 2025 trade mission led by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce that generated 180 bilateral business meetings and a business forum attended by over 300 stakeholders. The mission also resulted in a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry to strengthen trade cooperation.
The new office forms part of the broader “Dubai Global” initiative, which aims to establish 50 international offices by 2030, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global investment hub while enabling companies to expand into priority markets such as the Philippines.