THE Philippines and the Netherlands recently affirmed their intent to forge a stronger bilateral partnership, and mapped out areas where they can further collaborate.
In his keynote address during the “Philippines-Netherlands Connections @ 70: Reconstructing History and Forging Ahead” webinar which commemorated the seven decades of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomatic relations, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. stated that the Philippines is committed to reenergizing its relationship with the European country, with emphasis on economic cooperation, and special focus on the agri-food, water and infrastructure; the circular economy; as well as maritime and health-care sectors.
“The Netherlands’ renewed foreign policy interest in the [region]…is a positive development; particularly, its commitment to sustainable trade and investment relations, reducing one-sided strategic dependencies, [establishing more reliable value chains, and providing] active support for European Union [EU] negotiations on free-trade agreements with Indo-Pacific countries,” Locsin said. “We are hopeful…this will further expand business-to-business engagements between…[our] private sectors.”
The Philippines recently assumed its role as country-coordinator of the Asean-EU relations until 2025, and it will give greater significance to two-way initiatives.
For his part, Secretary-General Paul Huijts of the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said “the strength of our countries’ economic ties are shown by the fact that [my country] is the second-biggest EU trading partner of the Philippines, and the biggest [investor from the bloc. More] recently, sustainability has become a key element for our bilateral cooperation.”
Huijts cited the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan as a result of Dutch and Filipino experts’ collaboration on sustainability and water management.
He also noted the contributions of some 150 Dutch companies operating in the Philippines, and added that “at the same time, the Netherlands have welcomed many overseas Filipino workers—including some 22,000 Filipino seafarers who sail on Dutch flagged vessels and help keep the global economy moving.”
The Netherlands’ Indo-Pacific guidelines and the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy “underscore the growing importance of the [former region, where] the Philippines is a strategic player,” the secretary-general added. “As a seafaring nation, we take a particular interest in freedom of passage and other topical issues…”
The first day of the webinar drew a large and diverse audience from both countries, who included government officials, business personalities, community members and students.
Dutch Ambassador Karin Mossenlechner, director for Asia and Pacific in the Netherlands’ (MFA), expounded on the Dutch Indo-Pacific guidelines and the implications of this policy shift for the Philippines: “The Netherlands and the EU are aware that the geopolitical and geo-economic balance of power in the world is shifting. The Indo-Pacific region is increasingly becoming more strategically important for the EU. It is important that the Netherlands and the Philippines, [as well as the countries in the Indo-Pacific, join hands and work together in bringing about a sustainable post-pandemic] recovery with green growth.”
Ambassador of the Philippines to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the Philippines Saskia de Lang, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) President Rev. Fr. Roberto C. Yap S.J., and the Philippines’s Foreign Service Institute Director-General Jose A. Cariño also spoke during the program.
In his remarks, Malaya cited the opportunities for complementarities between the two sides; notably, the sharing of knowledge in addressing climate change.
“Both the Philippines and the Netherlands are maritime countries… Perhaps, we can learn from the Dutch, [whose land has mostly] been reclaimed from the sea,” said Malaya. “This…is crucial in these times of rising sea levels and climate change.”
For her part, de Lang stated that “the future of the Netherlands and the Philippines is all about hope. [Marking the 70 years of diplomatic relations, we are also] celebrating our joint future, and we are renewing our bilateral vows.”
Other panelists of the first-day session included ADMU’s Professor Alvin Ang, Mitchel Smolders of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Consul-General a.h. in Rotterdam Albert Bos, Dr. Mary Ann Sayoc of the Philippine Seed Industry Association, and Richard van der Maden of AgriTerra.
In his reaction during the open forum, Strategic Policy Advisor for Asia and Oceania of the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mark Versteden stated that “the webinar [was a good basis to continue discussions on areas] the Philippines and the Netherlands can work together.”
The second-day session, “Reconstructing Historical Ties,” was held on November 10, and focused on the historical foundations of the relations.
The two-day webinar was hosted by the Embassy of the Philippines in The Hague, in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Manila, ADMU, and the Philippines’s Foreign Service Institute.