French minister, Phl officials strengthen relationship

The Philippines and France have further strengthened their bilateral ties, particularly in the transportation and maritime security sectors, following the visit of French Minister for Foreign Trade, International Financing and French Nationals Abroad Laurent Saint-Martin.

In a series of posts on X, the French Embassy in Manila shared some of the agreements France has entered into with the Philippine government. Earlier, Saint-Martin paid a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

In the area of transportation, Saint-Martin and Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon signed a Joint Declaration to advance the partnership between France and the Philippines in support of the country’s air, railway, and maritime capacities.

The French official also met with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and signed an agreement with OCEA for the maintenance of its fleet.

OCEA, a company specializing in shipbuilding, aims to equip the PCG with stronger vessels and enhance its operational capabilities in maritime security, search and rescue operations, and marine environment protection.

As part of the two countries’ efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the Department of Transportation and HDF Energy signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the decarbonization of the transport sector.

In aviation, following the success of the reopening of direct flights from Manila to Paris, Air France entered into an agreement with Cebu Pacific Air for the maintenance of its A320 fleet.

Meanwhile, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, the French Agricultural Research Center for International Development, and the French Development Agency exchanged documents to reinforce support for the development of geographical indications — an initiative that strengthens local economies and promotes climate resilience.

Saint-Martin also met with Trade Secretary Cristina Aldeguer-Roque to discuss their shared vision and possible large-scale projects between France and the Philippines.

Aldeguer-Roque and Saint-Martin also opened the France-Philippines Business Forum, which aims to promote French-Filipino companies and networks, as well as support business relations between the two countries.

The French minister also visited the Department of Information and Communications Technology and met with its newly appointed head, Secretary Henry Aguda, to boost collaboration on ICT development, digital infrastructure, and the digital economy through resource-sharing and capacity-building.