Privilege Speech of Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations of UAE and Philippines
August 19, 2024
Privilege Speech of Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel
50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations of UAE and Philippines
August 19, 2024
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues,
I rise today to honor a significant milestone - the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates.
On this day in 1974, the diplomatic relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates were formally established. Today marks half a century of friendship, cooperation, and people-to-people relations, anchored on mutual respect between the two nations.
In recognition of this significant milestone, this representation filed Senate Bill No. 2556 or "AN ACT DECLARING THE 19TH OF AUGUST OF EVERY YEAR AS A SPECIAL DAY FOR THE COMMEMORATION OF THE "PHILIPPINES - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES FRIENDSHIP DAY". The measure seeks to declare every 19th of August as a Special Day for the Commemoration of the Philippines-United Arab Emirates Friendship Day. I urge this August chamber to immediately tackle and pass this measure.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the people of the United Arab Emirates have proven many times that they are indeed a friend and a steadfast ally in times of need. To cite a few instances where they have shown overflowing generosity, the UAE provided invaluable humanitarian aid to the Philippines, from assisting victims of Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 to being the first to respond with aid following the Mayon Volcano eruption in 2023. Their generosity continued during the COVID-19 pandemic when they donated vaccines, RT-PCR machines, and other essential medical supplies.
Just last July 30, through the efforts of my partner for life and now Special Envoy of the President to the United Arab Emirates for Trade and Investment Mrs. Kat Pimentel, the UAE government provided 80 tons of relief goods for the victims of Super Typhoon Carina and the "Habagat."
The donations consist of 2,464 packs or bags of 900-gram milk powder, 5-kg wheat flour, 400-gram tea powder, 5-kg rice, 1.5-ltr cooking oil, 1-kg red lentils, 1-kg peas, etcetera [1-kg dates, 375-mg tang powder, 500-gram oats, 850-mg tomato paste, 2-kg sugar, and 1-kg salt.] The donations also include 4,928 packs and cans of 400-gram pasta, 400-gram sweet corn, 400-gram green peas, 400-gram red kidney, 400-gram madames, and 9,856 cans of 170-gram tuna and chickpeas.
Humanitarian and development assistance has been an integral part of the 50-year diplomatic relations.
In the past years, the UAE provided aid to victims of natural disasters through the Emirates Red Crescent, rehabilitated 18 schools, provided health equipment, and built a new mosque in the Philippine Region of Samar after it was destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, donated, in 2021 and 2022, 50 RT-PCR Machines with test kits, 100,000 doses of vaccine, and other medical supplies to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the economic front, the relations between the Philippines and UAE have grown robustly. In 2023, bilateral non-oil trade between the UAE and the Philippines reached an impressive USD 1.08 billion. The UAE stands as the top investor in the Philippines among GCC countries, with total investments amounting to USD 129.4 million from 2019 to 2023. The Special Envoy is confident that investment is set to increase further, particularly with the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement that took effect in February 2024, and once the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is finalized and signed, hopefully within the year.
Today, the UAE stands as the Philippines' 17th largest trading partner and the top export market among all Gulf Cooperation Council member States. Additionally, the UAE is the second home of a growing 700,000 overseas Filipinos in the Middle East and well-known and home-grown Filipino brands and businesses such as Jollibee, Bench, Chowking and many others are found in the UAE.
The country has also benefited in the areas of tourism and aviation. In 2023 alone, over 33,000 UAE citizens visited the Philippines, while more than 301,000 Filipinos traveled to the UAE between May and December 2023. With 56 direct flights currently operating between these two countries, we can expect more visitors from the UAE.
Climate change is another area of interest between the Philippines and the UAE. The UAE has supported the Philippines' bid to host the Board of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.
I would also like to commend the UAE government, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for its significant strides in enhancing the labor conditions of foreign workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
I also welcome the earlier directive issued by the UAE government, which mandates the inclusion of all private sector employees and domestic workers including our OFWs in the compulsory health insurance scheme. Effective 2025, employers will be obligated to provide health coverage for their registered workers upon issuance or renewal of residency permits.
In addition, I would like to point out that the Philippine Embassy in the UAE was established in 1980, followed by the UAE Embassy in Manila in 1989. Our General Consulate in Dubai began operations in 2004, reflecting our deepening diplomatic relations over the decades.
Indeed, the Philippines and the UAE share a deep-rooted friendship, characterized by mutual respect, cooperation, and shared values over 50 years, and we look forward to another 50 years of strong diplomatic relations. May this relationship between the Philippines and the UAE continue to flourish.
Maraming salamat po, Mr. President!
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