ISTANBUL, Türkiye — The Philippines and Türkiye have formally revived high-level bilateral trade discussions for the first time since the pandemic, with both sides pushing to expand cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, agriculture, defense, and halal industries.
The meeting, held on April 28 in Istanbul, brought together Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo and Turkish Deputy Minister Mustafa Tuzcu, who both acknowledged that current bilateral trade levels remain below their full potential despite growing economic complementarities.
Trade between the Philippines and Türkiye reached US$365 million in 2025, with the balance of trade favoring the Philippines. Both sides agreed that opportunities for deeper economic engagement are far greater, particularly in manufacturing, infrastructure, agri-food, and logistics.
Türkiye highlighted its strengths in defense manufacturing, construction, and transportation infrastructure, noting that Turkish firms are already operating in the Philippines, including ASELSAN and GÜLERMAK.
Turkish officials also reiterated their push for the resumption of the Philippines–Türkiye Joint Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation (JCETC), while expressing Ankara’s continued interest in becoming a full dialogue partner of Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Philippine Ambassador-designate to Ankara Jaime Ramon Ascalon emphasized the broader regional significance of strengthening economic ties as the Philippines prepares for its ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.
“As ASEAN Chair for 2026, we welcome this opportunity to connect Türkiye not only with the Philippines but with the Southeast Asian region as a whole,” Ascalon said, citing ASEAN’s market of more than 650 million people and its rapidly growing middle class.
The Philippine side also underscored Türkiye’s strong manufacturing capability, noting the widespread presence of “Made in Türkiye” products across global markets. Aside from manufacturing, Manila expressed interest in expanding cooperation in halal industries, agri-food exports, transportation, and construction projects.
To facilitate smoother trade flows, Undersecretary Rodolfo said Philippine authorities would study pending trade concerns, including the anti-dumping duties imposed on certain Turkish wheat flour exporters, which are set to expire in 2027, as well as the accreditation process for Turkish poultry exports to the Philippines.
Both governments stressed the importance of balanced and mutually beneficial trade relations. Philippine officials noted the country’s widening trade deficit, which grew from around US$5 billion in 2015 to US$50 billion in 2025, while Turkish officials cited similar trade imbalance concerns with some of their major partners.
Türkiye considers the Philippines part of its “far country strategy,” signaling Ankara’s long-term interest in strengthening economic engagement with Southeast Asia. In response, the Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to fostering stronger trade and investment ties while addressing pending market access and regulatory issues.