Saudi Arabia reaffirms stronger ties, dev’t support for Phl

Saudi Arabia has touted its “steadily growing” political, economic, and people-to-people relations with the Philippines, reaffirming its commitment to sustained development cooperation as the two nations approach the 56th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next month.

Speaking at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Day reception in Makati City on Tuesday night, Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Faisal Ebraheem Alghamdi highlighted the strong bilateral partnership, with particular emphasis on humanitarian efforts and educational collaboration.

“The Kingdom firmly believes that its security, stability, and prosperity are intrinsically linked to international peace and cooperation,” Alghamdi said. 

“This conviction has been reflected in its active contributions to regional and global organizations, and in its humanitarian and developmental initiatives that have reached all corners of the world—underscoring its noble mission of serving humanity at large.”

The envoy revealed that the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre has funded over USD 5.8 million worth of humanitarian and development projects in the Philippines. These cover 16 initiatives nationwide, primarily in the health sector.

Among the notable medical aid programs this year was Saudi Arabia’s sponsorship of the separation surgery for conjoined twins Kleah and Maureen Ann—the third set of Filipino conjoined twins to benefit from the Kingdom’s medical assistance.

Beyond healthcare, the Kingdom has also strengthened educational ties through scholarship programs. For the 2025–2026 academic year, 265 scholarships have been awarded to Filipino students pursuing higher education in Saudi universities.

“This initiative reflects the Kingdom’s enduring commitment to strengthening cultural and educational relations with the Philippines and to opening new horizons for Filipino youth to benefit from its advanced academic system,” Alghamdi said.

In response, Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega expressed Manila’s appreciation for the Kingdom’s support and looked forward to deepening cooperation in various fields.

“We look forward to even stronger bilateral ties between our countries as we pursue the goals of ambition 2040, and of Saudi vision 2030, respectively,” De Vega stressed.

The Philippines and Saudi Arabia formally established diplomatic relations on October 24, 1969. 

Today, Saudi Arabia is home to more than 700,000 Filipinos, making it one of the largest Filipino expatriate communities in the world.

“We thank the Kingdom for being host to more than 700,000 Filipinos working and residing in Saudi Arabia,” De Vega said. 

De Vega also conveyed the Philippines’ appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its continued support in facilitating the pilgrimage of Filipino Muslims, allowing them to perform their religious rites with ease and dignity.

“We likewise thank the kingdom for continuously hosting thousands of our Muslim brothers and sisters who performed the Umrah and the yearly Hajj in Saudi Arabia,” she said. 

“This year, about 5000 Filipino pilgrims were able to perform the hajj, a very important part of the spiritual and religious life of our Filipino Muslim community,” she added.