The Philippines is accelerating its free trade strategy, aiming to strengthen competitiveness and unlock new markets for local industries, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque announced at the ASEAN Business Environment Forum in Taguig City.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, the government targets 20 free trade agreements (FTAs) by the end of the term, signaling a major push to integrate the country deeper into global commerce.
High on the agenda is the European Union-Philippines FTA, with officials hoping to wrap negotiations by June or July. If all goes according to plan, the agreement could be signed next year, giving Philippine exporters access to one of the world’s largest markets. Roque described the deal as a potential “game-changer” for multiple industries.
The Philippines is also pursuing FTAs with Chile and Canada, expanding opportunities in South and North America. Roque said the Chile agreement could even be finalized within the year, further broadening market options for local exporters.
Already, more than 70 percent of Philippine exports enter partner markets under trade agreements that lower tariffs and reduce barriers. “FTA is very important for our President. This gives us an equal playing field in the global market,” Roque said, highlighting the strategic value of these deals.
Emphasizing a global outlook, the trade secretary added: “One country is not the market—the market is the world.” With FTAs, local businesses gain a competitive edge, access new consumers, and can scale beyond domestic constraints amid an increasingly complex global economic landscape.
For Philippine industries, it is clear that global markets are open, competition is real, and free trade deals are the ticket to growth.
