Marcos strengthens Phl-UAE ties

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. traveled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday, 26 November, for a one-day working visit.

Marcos departed the Philippines at 9:00 PM on Monday (Philippine time) and arrived in Abu Dhabi at 2:06 AM (UAE time). He was accompanied by a small delegation, including former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, who has close ties with the UAE Royal Family.

The President was welcomed by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.

“Today I welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Abu Dhabi to discuss opportunities to further deepen cooperation between the UAE and the Philippines across vital fields, including economy, trade, and sustainability,” Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“As our countries celebrate 50 years of friendship and collaboration, we remain committed to bolstering ties and bringing lasting benefit to our peoples,” he added.

Focused discussions on cooperation

Joining Marcos were Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, who participated in discussions on preventing plastic waste leakage in oceans; National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chairperson Vic Manalo, who signed a cultural cooperation agreement with the UAE Ministry of Culture; and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Charles Jose.

Unlike his previous overseas engagements, Marcos did not hold a meeting with the Filipino community in the UAE, citing the need to prioritize the Philippines’ recovery efforts from recent typhoons. He appealed for the understanding of over 450,000 Filipinos in the Emirates.

Marcos expressed his gratitude to the UAE for its contributions to the Philippines, including: supporting Filipino workers and fostering an environment of kindness, respect, and tolerance; assisting in the arrest and turnover of a sex trafficker to Philippine authorities; providing training and support to the Philippine National Police; offering humanitarian aid during recent typhoons; and pardoning 143 Filipinos during Eid al-Adha.

Trip proceeds according so schedule

Marcos’ last scheduled trip to the UAE was in November 2023 for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai. However, he canceled his attendance due to reports of 17 Filipino seafarers being taken hostage by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

In his absence, the Executive Committee — composed of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrad Estrella III — once again assumed leadership roles, as they did during Marcos' participation in the ASEAN Summits in Laos.

This marks the second instance where Marcos bypassed Vice President Sara Duterte as caretaker. Duterte and Marcos have reportedly not been on speaking terms since Duterte resigned as Secretary of the Department of Education.