The Taiwanese business and overseas community in the Philippines opened the New Year with a flag-raising ceremony in Carmona City, Cavite, underscoring the continued strengthening of Taiwan–Philippines economic and commercial relations.
The event, organized by the Taiwanese Chamber of the South Philippines (TCSPI), was held on January 1 at its clubhouse and gathered around 200 participants, including Taiwanese business leaders, community representatives, volunteers from Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC), officials from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines, and local stakeholders.
Taiwan’s Representative to the Philippines, Ambassador Wallace M. G. Chow, said the gathering reflected the positive trajectory of bilateral ties, particularly in trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges. He noted that 2025 saw notable progress in Taiwan–Philippines cooperation and expressed confidence that economic engagement would further expand in 2026.
TCSPI President Jeff Yu emphasized the long-standing role of Taiwanese enterprises in the Philippine economy, particularly in southern Luzon. He noted that many Taiwanese firms have operated in the region for more than two to three decades, contributing to employment generation, industrial development, and supply-chain resilience despite global economic headwinds.
Ambassador Chow also pointed to recent initiatives that have reinforced bilateral cooperation, including expanded official exchanges, visa-free entry arrangements for Taiwanese travelers, and large-scale Taiwanese trade and investment missions to key Philippine growth centers such as Subic, Clark, and Metro Manila. These efforts, he said, support deeper collaboration in priority sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and technology.
The presence of leaders from major Taiwanese and Filipino-Chinese business and community organizations nationwide highlighted the private sector’s active role in advancing Taiwan–Philippines economic engagement.