PH, France deepen ties with new agreements
The Philippines and France have strengthened their bilateral relations with the signing of a number of agreements to bolster cooperation in transportation, maritime security, clean energy and climate resilience.
Among these is a letter of intent signed by French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad Laurent Saint-Martin and Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon to expand partnerships in the Philippines’ rail and maritime sectors.
Saint-Martin was in the country from April 10-11 and the French Embassy in Manila on Friday said the trip concluded with the signing of several landmark agreements between government agencies and private sector partners from both countries.
“So, all these transportation topics that are very strategic for the Philippines, very important for French export, can be now financed with French export credit,” Saint-Martin said during a press conference in Makati, although he did not provide the amount when asked.
Maintenance contracts
In a separate ceremony, two key maintenance contracts were formalized between the Philippine Coast Guard and French shipbuilding giant OCEA.
The agreement focuses on the servicing of PCG vessels, further enhancing maritime operational capabilities and deepening collaboration in maritime security.
To further align with global sustainability goals, listed firm Hydrogène de France and the Department of Transportation also signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at accelerating the decarbonization of the Philippines’ maritime transport sector through hydrogen-based energy solutions.
Additionally, Air France signed an agreement with Cebu Pacific to provide maintenance services for the airline’s A320 and A321 fleet.
This comes on the heels of Cebu Pacific’s record-breaking order of 102 Airbus A320s in July 2024—the largest in Philippine aviation history.
Grant
In a move supporting climate resilience and sustainability, the French Development Agency and the French agricultural research institution also formalized a 1-million euro grant to aid climate-related reforms in the Philippines.
The grant includes two key initiatives: research on climate-resilient agriculture focused on bananas, mangoes, and aquaculture, and support for the development and promotion of geographical indications, in partnership with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines and the Departments of Trade and Agriculture.
