Dubai Chambers receives Philippine First Lady to advance trade, economic cooperation

DUBAI, 11th January, 2026 (WAM) — Dubai Chambers today welcomed Louise Araneta-Marcos, First Lady of the Republic of the Philippines, at its headquarters to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties and deepen mutual cooperation.

The meeting was attended by Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Dubai Chambers, and Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers.

Al Mansoori commented, “This visit represents an important step in strengthening the relationship between Dubai and the Philippines and creating new opportunities for cooperation between our business communities. We are committed to supporting Philippine companies and enabling them to expand regionally and internationally by leveraging Dubai’s competitive advantages, including its strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and business-friendly environment.”

He added, “Dubai Chambers remains committed to strengthening international economic partnerships, expanding trade cooperation, and identifying strategic opportunities that advance mutual growth, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for business and investment.”

During the meeting, Dubai Chambers delivered a presentation highlighting Dubai’s strategic advantages as a global business hub, as well as potential areas for cooperation between Dubai and the Philippines and the competitive benefits the emirate offers to Philippine companies.

The visit comes amid growing trade and investment ties between Dubai and the Philippines, with non-oil bilateral trade reaching a value of AED3.1 billion during 2024. A total of 653 Philippine companies joined Dubai Chamber of Commerce during the first nine months of 2025, bringing the total number of active members from the Philippines to 2,508 as of the end of September last year.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, successfully organised a trade mission to the Philippines last year featuring representatives from 17 Dubai private sector companies from diverse sectors. As part of the mission, the chamber facilitated 180 bilateral business meetings between members of the delegation from Dubai and their counterparts in the Philippines to explore opportunities for cooperation, expand business relations, and establish new partnerships across industries.

The chamber also organised a forum in Manila titled “Doing Business with the Philippines”, which was attended by 314 participants. On the sidelines of the forum, Dubai Chamber of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry to strengthen bilateral trade relations and explore new avenues for cooperation between the business communities in Dubai and the Philippines.