Qatar & Philippines Strengthen Business Ties
- Publish date: since 5 days
The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is actively working to strengthen partnerships between Filipino and Qatari enterprises—aiming to boost collaboration, drive innovation, and expand the footprint of Filipino companies in Qatar.
First Steps to Big Moves
According to Vince Lorenzo Liwanag, Commercial Attaché of the Philippine Trade Investment Centre (PTIC) – Riyadh, building partnerships is the first step toward broader business ventures.
“Forging partnerships with companies in Qatar opens doors to joint ventures, expansions, and the exchange of knowledge between our nations,” Liwanag told Gulf Times.
He stressed the need to understand the local business environment and align business objectives, ensuring sustainable, mutually beneficial collaboration.
A Mission to Connect
The recent Outbound Business Matching Mission (OBMM), organized by the DTI in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Doha and Qatar Chamber, served as a platform to introduce Filipino businesses to potential Qatari partners. The OBMM also included visits to Amman, Riyadh, and Dubai, underlining the DTI’s regional push for international market access.
During the event, Qatar Chamber board member Abdulla bin Mohamed al-Emadi expressed full support for deeper collaboration. He highlighted the private sector's role in shaping economic ties and cited a bilateral trade value of QR636mn in 2024, signaling the growing momentum between the two nations.
Momentum from the Top
Trade and investment relations between the Philippines and Qatar have grown rapidly, especially after His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s visit to the Philippines last year. The visit saw multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed, setting the tone for strengthened cooperation.
Liwanag said the OBMM is designed to trigger such momentum:
“We’re pleased with the OBMM’s outcomes and look forward to more engagements that can drive growth and innovation between our business communities,” he noted.
A Taste of Home in the Gulf
A standout example of Filipino-Qatari collaboration is the partnership between Mekeni Food Corporation and Alwatania International Holdings. In 2023, the two companies signed a commercial agreement to process, distribute, and market Mekeni’s products in Qatar.
Mekeni, based in Pampanga, is known for its halal-certified favorites like ‘Picnic Hotdog’, ‘Chicken Tocino’, and ‘Chicken Longanisa’. These products are already available in the US, UAE, Canada, Australia, Bahrain, Brunei, The Netherlands, and New Zealand—and now, with Doha as their Gulf hub, Mekeni plans to further expand into the GCC, Europe, and beyond.
“We want to give OFWs and Filipinos abroad a taste of home,” said Mekeni president Pruds Garcia. “Our goal is to fill the void of missing home with world-class Filipino products.”
With public and private sectors joining forces, the future of Filipino-Qatari business ties looks more promising than ever.
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