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Diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Türkiye were established with the Treaty of Friendship signed on 13 June 1949. 

The bilateral ties have seen a significant growth in a wide range of areas, most notably in the fields of defense, trade and investment, development cooperation, and people-to-people linkages in tourism, culture, and education. Turkey also continues to support the efforts of the Philippine Government in Mindanao to bring lasting peace and sustainable development.

The close and friendly ties spanning over seventy years are bolstered by the various levels of engagement, which have resulted in a number of agreements, such as:

  • Treaty of Friendship between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Turkey, 1950
  • Trade Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Turkey, 1996
  • Cultural and Educational Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Government of the Republic of Turkey, 1996
  • Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Industry Cooperation between the Department of National Defence of the Republic of the Philippines and the Presidency of Defence Industries of the Republic of Turkey, 2019
  • Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Exchange of Financial Intelligence Related to Money-Laundering and Financing Terrorism, 2020

With the Philippines’ commitment for deeper relations with Türkiye, the country opened the Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul in December 2019 with career officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, a further boost to Team Philippines in Turkey with the Philippine Embassy in Ankara, and the Philippine Consulate General in Izmir led by an honorary consular official.

In addition, attached agencies of the Philippine Government are also represented with the Office of the Defense and Armed Forces Attache (established in 2018 in Ankara), the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (based in Paris), the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (based in Beirut), and the Department of Tourism (based in London).

Over 3,000 Filipinos are based in Turkey composed of service workers, students, and a number of professionals and Filipinos married to Turkish nationals.

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