2025-08-14
Philippines DTI Plans Expanded Trade Missions, Long-Term Partnerships With Qatar
The Department of Trade (DTI) in the Philippines is gearing up for a series of intensified trade missions and investment delegations to Qatar, aiming to significantly expand economic co-operation beyond 2025.
Lawyer Maria Katrina D Rivera, assistant director at the DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), emphasised that this strategy builds on successful past engagements between the Philippines and Qatar, and seeks to deepen the partnership across a range of key sectors.
Highlighting the DTI-EMB’s immediate plans, Rivera said, “That is our main project for 2025 in terms of trade missions. In fact, based on the reported sales, most of the sales were in Qatar among the four countries that we visited for that outbound mission.”
She was referring to the Outbound Business Matching Mission (OBMM) held in Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai last year, which saw the participation of a dozen exporting companies seeking to access the Gulf and Middle East markets. The OBMM is an annual initiative of the DTI held in various countries in the Middle East aimed at supporting Philippine export companies.
Looking further ahead, Qatar is set to play a crucial role in the Philippines’ participation in ‘Gulfood 2026’, noted Rivera, citing the event as Dubai’s major food and beverage exhibition.
“For 2026, we are looking forward to a bigger ‘Gulfood 2026’ in Dubai. And by taking advantage of Gulfood, Qatar will definitely still be part of the outbound mission because it is the most economical route for the companies that we’re bringing to the event.
Lawyer Maria Katrina D Rivera, assistant director at the DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), emphasised that this strategy builds on successful past engagements between the Philippines and Qatar, and seeks to deepen the partnership across a range of key sectors.
Highlighting the DTI-EMB’s immediate plans, Rivera said, “That is our main project for 2025 in terms of trade missions. In fact, based on the reported sales, most of the sales were in Qatar among the four countries that we visited for that outbound mission.”
She was referring to the Outbound Business Matching Mission (OBMM) held in Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai last year, which saw the participation of a dozen exporting companies seeking to access the Gulf and Middle East markets. The OBMM is an annual initiative of the DTI held in various countries in the Middle East aimed at supporting Philippine export companies.
Looking further ahead, Qatar is set to play a crucial role in the Philippines’ participation in ‘Gulfood 2026’, noted Rivera, citing the event as Dubai’s major food and beverage exhibition.
“For 2026, we are looking forward to a bigger ‘Gulfood 2026’ in Dubai. And by taking advantage of Gulfood, Qatar will definitely still be part of the outbound mission because it is the most economical route for the companies that we’re bringing to the event.
The DTI hopes to invite even more companies to join this mission, anticipating a larger event than in previous years,” Rivera told Gulf Times in an exclusive interview.
Rivera also added that there’s growing interest in franchise brands and the furniture industry, given Qatar's continuous hotel expansion plans and its vision to become a major tourism hub.
Beyond traditional food exports, the partnership is also expanding into other areas, according to Vince Lorenzo Liwanag, Commercial Attaché of the Philippine Trade Investment Centre (PTIC) – Riyadh.
Liwanag mentioned efforts by the Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB) to collaborate with Qatari companies in the construction sector, highlighting the Philippines’ capabilities in “very robust BIM (Building Information Modelling) or software for construction” that could benefit Qatar.
The POCB was in Doha last year for its inaugural participation in the Big 5 Construct Qatar. POCB Executive Director Doris U Gacho earlier stated that “by establishing ties with industry leaders in Qatar, the Philippines supports Qatar National Vision 2030 and aims to position itself as a preferred partner in addressing Qatar's growing infrastructure demands.”
Rivera also added that there’s growing interest in franchise brands and the furniture industry, given Qatar's continuous hotel expansion plans and its vision to become a major tourism hub.
Beyond traditional food exports, the partnership is also expanding into other areas, according to Vince Lorenzo Liwanag, Commercial Attaché of the Philippine Trade Investment Centre (PTIC) – Riyadh.
Liwanag mentioned efforts by the Philippine Overseas Construction Board (POCB) to collaborate with Qatari companies in the construction sector, highlighting the Philippines’ capabilities in “very robust BIM (Building Information Modelling) or software for construction” that could benefit Qatar.
The POCB was in Doha last year for its inaugural participation in the Big 5 Construct Qatar. POCB Executive Director Doris U Gacho earlier stated that “by establishing ties with industry leaders in Qatar, the Philippines supports Qatar National Vision 2030 and aims to position itself as a preferred partner in addressing Qatar's growing infrastructure demands.”
Source: GULF TIMES