A Joint Trade and Investment Agenda Between Panama and the Philippines Has Been Agreed Upon
Panama and the Philippines agreed to promote a joint agenda aimed at strengthening trade, investment and business cooperation.
Panama and the Philippines took a momentous step towards a long-term economic partnership by holding a historic meeting between the official Panamanian delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Javier Eduardo Martínez-Acha Vásquez, and the board of directors of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), chaired by Ferdinand “Perry” Ferrer. The meeting solidified a shared vision: to build a strategic corridor that unites the economic dynamism of the Indo-Pacific with the opportunities of Latin America, taking advantage of the competitive advantages of both nations. During the meeting, Foreign Minister Martínez-Acha Vásquez pictured above, emphasized that the world is undergoing a transformation of global supply chains and affirmed that Panama is prepared to become the strategic partner that guarantees connectivity, security, and efficiency for Asian companies.
He also presented the advantages of the SEM and EMMA special regimes, instruments that position the country as an ideal destination for regional hubs for operations, manufacturing, and services. As a result of the meeting, both parties agreed to promote a joint agenda aimed at strengthening trade, investment, and business cooperation. Key initiatives include encouraging Philippine companies to establish operations in the Colón Free Zone and other free trade zones, facilitating trade missions, and developing projects in logistics, technology, semiconductors, renewable energy, fintech, and agribusiness. The chancellor invited the PCCI board to participate in the CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean Conference, which will be held in Panama City on January 27 and 28, 2027. PCCI President Ferdinand Ferrer highlighted the existing collaborative ties between the private sectors of both countries, established in 1997 through the Panama Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (CCIAP). He also expressed the interest of Philippine companies in exploring new maritime and air connectivity routes to utilize Panama as a regional expansion platform.
