Press Advisories

17. 4. 2023 16:02

Prime Minister Fiala held talks with President Marcos in Manila and supported Czech companies in the local market

Prime Minister Petr Fiala held talks with Philippine President Marcos, 17 April 2023.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala held talks with Philippine President Marcos, 17 April 2023.
On Monday, 17 April 2023, the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Petr Fiala, began a business trip to Asia in Manila, Philippines. He and President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr. discussed the development of mutual cooperation and trade relations and supported joint projects in the defence industry. The Prime Minister also opened the Czech-Philippine Business Forum, which was attended by more than 100 representatives of companies from both countries, and paid tribute to the memory of José Rizal.

The working visit to the Philippines took place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Czech Republic has a lot to build on in the Philippines. The historical ties between the two countries, especially the popularity of the Prague Jesuit and the good awareness of traditional Czech brands also help in the area of trade and economic cooperation.

“During my meeting with President Marcos, I supported joint projects in the defence industry. These include possible deliveries of aircraft for the Philippine Coast Guard or the project of Česká zbrojovka for the comprehensive rearmament of the local army. The Czech Republic is also ready to help modernise the Philippine agriculture and food industry, which is another area of cooperation in which the Philippine side is most interested,” said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister stressed the interest of Czech companies in participating in the development of local energy infrastructure. Czech companies also offer cooperation in civil aviation, especially in the modernisation of Philippine airports. In all these areas, the local government decides on the final supplier, so it is important to provide diplomatic support to Czech entrepreneurs. Prime Minister Fiala also announced his intention to increase the number of Filipino workers in the Czech Republic. Czech employers are very satisfied with the quality of Filipino employees.

Czech-Philippine Business Forum

The Prime Minister supported our entrepreneurs at the Czech-Philippine Business Forum. “I am convinced that the forum will result in new contracts for our exporters – we managed to bring together more than 100 entrepreneurs from both countries,” added Petr Fiala. On the Czech side, the companies included Aero Vodochody, Omnipol, Excalibur Army or Rescue Trailer. The representatives of the Czech Chamber of Commerce signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce. Memoranda of cooperation have also been signed by Draslovka a.s. and NITES a.s. with Smart Citi Teknologi. The Prime Minister also held talks with Czech managers of Home Credit, who have been working here for several years. The company employs over 13,000 people and has 10 million clients.

The Philippines is one of the Czech Republic's important trading partners in Southeast Asia. The total trade volume with the Philippines reached more than $647 million in 2022, of which Czech exports were $55 million and imports $592 million.

Tribute to José Rizal

On Tuesday 18 April, at the end of his visit to Manila, the Prime Minister, together with the Mayor of Manila, Maria Sheila Lacuna-Pangan, and the Secretary of National Defence of the Philippines, Carlito G. Galvez Jr., paid tribute to José Rizal. He was instrumental in the independence of the Philippines. He was executed in 1896 and the memorial stands right on the place of execution. José Rizal and his legacy is also linked to the Czech Republic. Especially thanks to his friendship with Ferdinand Blumentritt, a secondary school teacher in Litoměřice. The bust of José Rizal was unveiled in 2018 in the hall of the Czech National Bank in Prague. On this occasion, Prime Minister Fiala also received an honorary key from the City of Manila.

The official visit to the Philippines kicked off Prime Minister Petr Fiala's ten-day trip to Asia. In the next few days, the Prime Minister will visit IndonesiaSingaporeVietnam, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

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