Amir arrives to a warm welcome in Manila

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani arrived Sunday in Manila, on a state visit to the Philippines.

His Highness the Amir was welcomed upon arrival at the Maharlika Presidential Airport (Villamor Airbase) by the Secretary of Energy Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla, Qatar’s ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed bin Saad al- Hamidi, and Philippines’ ambassador to Qatar Lillibeth Velasco Pono, along with senior Philippine officials and the staff of the Qatari embassy in Manila.

His Highness the Amir is accompanied by an official delegation. His visit to the Philippines coincides with the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1981. The embassy of Philippines was opened in Doha in 1992, while Qatar’s embassy was opened in Manila in 1994.

The relations between Qatar and the Philippines are based on principles of partnership and mutual co-operation in many vital fields, including labour, trade, investment, tourism, and others. The two friendly countries share convergent views on many international issues, and many bilateral agreements in various fields, such as economy, trade, labour, culture, media, health, education, technical and vocational training, investment protection, avoidance of double taxation and others.

These relations have seen remarkable growth and expansion at all levels over the past four decades, and have been strengthened through mutual visits at various levels.

The visit of His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani to the Philippines on April 10, 2012 served as a cornerstone for consolidating the relations and promoting them to the highest levels. This visit marked the beginning of a new era for strengthening the Qatari-Philippine ties in various fields, and was the first visit of its kind by an Arab leader to the Philippines in more than three decades, which gave it a great significance in opening new horizons.

In December 2008, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo paid an official visit to Qatar followed by another former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s visit in April 2017.

The high-level mutual visits include the visit of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani to the Philippines in August 2018.

In the context of continuous communication and consultation between the two countries, Undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, Maria Theresa Lazaro, visited Doha in August 2022. In statements to Qatar News Agency (QNA), she stressed the importance of the visit in strengthening and developing the bilateral relations between Doha and Manila.

She described the Qatar-Philippine Joint Committee meeting as a "milestone event", being the first political consultation between the two countries to discuss a wide range of topics of common interest, especially political and economic co-operation, immigration issues, climate change, and various regional and international issues.