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Louella Desiderio - The Philippine Star
June 23, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Trade between the Philippines and the United Kingdom, which hit an all-time high last year, could double in the next three to four years, with food and artisanal products seen as potential growth areas, according to a trade envoy.
In a press briefing yesterday, UK trade envoy George Freeman said two-way trade between the Philippines and the UK reached its highest level at £3 billion last year.
“I would like to increase it substantially over the next three to four years,” Freeman said.
By deepening the two countries’ partnership, he said bilateral trade could double within that period.
Last year, Philippine exports to the UK reached £1.8 billion, while exports of goods and services from the UK to the Philippines amounted to £1.2 billion.
Lindsey Gilbert-Crouch, director of trade and investment at the British embassy said the record-high trade level was driven in part by the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which allows the duty-free entry of 99 percent of Philippine goods to the UK.
“The Philippines is one of the biggest utilizers in the world of the scheme,” she said, adding that the country’s utilization rate has been increasing.
She also said the all-time high trade level was driven by exports of electrical goods, aircraft and pharmaceutical products from the UK, as well as fruits, vegetables and electrical products from the Philippines.
In terms of export sectors showing potential for growth, she said the UK government and the Department of Trade and Industry have identified food and artisanal products as key growth areas.
“People in the UK are becoming ever more health conscious and there is a lot of food [products] in the Philippines that are incredibly in demand in the UK,” she said.
In particular, she said coconut, mangoes and other dried fruits and vegetable products have potential for growth.
She said the export of artisanal products like leather goods is also seen as a key growth area as UK consumers are keen to buy more of these products.
Freeman said the UK is also looking to identify strategic projects that it can develop with the Philippines over the next three to four years to deepen ties.
“It could be a strategic project in cybersecurity and digital identity to help the Philippines achieve its objectives… Or it could be in health technology, health innovation, clinical trials, vaccines, telehealth, digital health,” Freeman said.
