The UK and the Philippines convened their second Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting in Metro Manila on Tuesday, 22 September 2026. The meeting was led by UK Minister of State for Trade, Anas Sarwar, and Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty of the Philippines' Department of Trade and Industry.
Minister Sarwar and Undersecretary Gepty endorsed a refreshed programme of work, aiming to enhance collaboration in agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and economic development. This programme is set to be delivered over the next 12-18 months through established sector working groups and relevant partners.
Key outcomes include an agreement to formalise a Memorandum of Understanding on Agriculture Trade and Cooperation. In infrastructure, a Financing Framework, which will enable UK Export Finance (UKEF) support for priority Philippine government projects, is scheduled to be signed on 23 September 2026. UKEF currently has up to £5 billion of capacity available for eligible projects in the Philippines.
Discussions also covered potential cooperation in grid modernisation, civil nuclear energy, trade digitalisation, and space. The total trade in goods and services between the UK and the Philippines was £3.1 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2026.