The Philippines is on the verge of expanding its free trade agreement portfolio to 20, with negotiations ongoing with the European Union, Canada, and Chile, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque announced Saturday, as the Marcos administration pushes to open new markets for Filipino exporters.
Roque said the country currently has 17 active FTAs, with three more set to be concluded this year and signed next year. “Our President will go down in history as having signed the most Free Trade Agreements,” she said in an interview on DZRH’s “Special on Saturday” on April 18.
The pending agreements with the EU, Canada, and Chile would open up European, Canadian, and South American markets to Philippine goods, Roque said, adding that the country’s export performance has been strong going into the expansion push. Last year posted the highest export growth on record at 15.4%, she said.
Roque said the DTI is also aggressively pursuing the halal industry as a growth frontier, citing a global market of 3.5 billion consumers and a USD 1 trillion market. She said the main barrier for Filipino exporters is certification, which the government is working to resolve. “Walang problema sa produkto — madami tayong produkto. Ang kailangan lang is the certification para makapasok sila sa halal industry,” she said.
On the investment front, Roque said PEZA investments grew 10.36% in 2025, with BOI numbers also performing strongly. The DTI is developing innovation hubs and expanding economic zones, she said, all aimed at generating additional revenue, investments, and jobs.
The secretary said attracting foreign investment and keeping Filipinos employed at home are twin priorities under President Marcos. “One of our top exports is our people — so ang gusto ni Presidente is for us to provide jobs here in the Philippines so our people stay here with family,” she said.
Roque also flagged renewable energy and electric vehicles as emerging investment targets, saying DTI is finalizing an Electric Vehicle Incentive Strategy, or EVIS, to attract manufacturers and assemblers of both hybrid and pure electric vehicles. She said concrete investment activity is expected within the next two years.
The DTI maintains 29 trade attachés and 21 overseas offices worldwide to support Filipino exporters in accessing global markets, Roque added, saying businesses can tap these resources alongside the department’s more than 200 trade shows held nationwide annually.
