Marcos departs Manila for UAE to sign free trade agreement, defense MOU

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday evening left for Abu Dhabi to sign a free trade agreement and a defense cooperation memorandum of understanding with the United Arab Emirates.

Marcos departed Manila for his working visit at 6:30 p.m. 

He said the Philippines would further pursue its goal to forge collaborations with new partners “who share our vision of a sustainable world, and will endeavor to further enrich our relationships with other important partners.”

“During this trip, the Philippines and the UAE will also seal two important agreements,” Marcos said. 

“First, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) or the free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and the UAE; and second, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation,” he added. 

Marcos said the signing of the two agreements is a testament to the deep bilateral ties between the two countries, and more importantly, between Filipinos and Emiratis. 

He said the Philippines-UAE CEPA would expand the market access of the Philippines in the Middle East, particularly in the Gulf Region.

Meanwhile, the MOU on defense cooperation would serve as a strong platform for collaboration with the UAE for advanced defense technologies.

The Philippine leader will also participate in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week together with other world leaders. —NB, GMA Integrated News