Dubai: 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.
According to Emirated news Agency, 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 highlighted the visit as a significant step in enhancing the relationship between Dubai and the Philippines, aiming to create new opportunities for cooperation between the business communities of both regions. He emphasized Dubai's commitment to supporting Philippine companies by leveraging the emirate's strategic location, advanced infrastructure, and business-friendly environment to facilitate regional and international expansion.
The meeting included a presentation by Dubai Chambers, showcasing Dubai's strategic advantages as a global business hub and potential areas for cooperation with the Philippines. The presentation also outlined the competitive benefits Dubai offers to Philippine companies.
The visit occurs amid increasing trade and investment ties between Dubai and the Philippines, with non-oil bilateral trade reaching AED3.1 billion in 2024. In the first nine months of 2025, 653 Philippine companies joined the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, bringing the total number of active members from the Philippines to 2,508 by the end of September.
Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers under Dubai Chambers, organized a successful trade mission to the Philippines last year. This mission included 17 Dubai private sector companies from various sectors and facilitated 180 bilateral business meetings to explore cooperation opportunities, expand business relations, and establish new industry partnerships.
Additionally, the chamber hosted a forum in Manila titled 'Doing Business with the Philippines', which attracted 314 participants. During 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 both regions.