ISLAMABAD, 17 August 2026—Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Pakistan, H.E. Dr. Emmanuel R. Fernandez, along with Vice Consul Ms. Rain R. Mendoza, met with the leadership of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in Islamabad on 17 August 2026 to discuss ways to further strengthen economic, commercial, and tourism cooperation between Pakistan and the Philippines. The FPCCI delegation was led by the President of FPCCI Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, Vice President FPCCI T Tariq Khan Jadoon, Convener of FPCCI Standing Committee on Travel and Tourism, Mr. M. Arshad Mehmood Janjua.
The meeting brought together the Philippine Ambassador and senior representatives of Pakistan’s business community, providing an opportunity to exchange views on expanding bilateral trade, promoting investment, and strengthening business-to-business linkages, with a particular focus on the growing potential of tourism as a driver of people-to-people and economic connectivity.
Ambassador Fernandez highlighted the importance of enhancing engagement with Pakistan’s private sector and encouraged Pakistani businesses to explore opportunities in the Philippines, especially in the tourism and hospitality sectors. He underscored that tourism cooperation—through increased travel facilitation, destination promotion, and cultural exchange—can play a vital role in deepening mutual understanding and strengthening bilateral relations.
The Ambassador highlighted the Philippines’ diverse tourism offerings, including its island destinations, cultural heritage sites, and eco-tourism potential, and expressed interest in attracting greater tourist flows from Pakistan. He also noted the importance of developing travel linkages, improving connectivity, and encouraging collaboration between tour operators, travel agencies, and hospitality stakeholders of both countries.
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh welcomed the Ambassador and expressed the Federation’s strong interest in expanding cooperation with the Philippines, particularly in tourism promotion and related service sectors. Convener of the FPCCI Standing Committee on Travel and Tourism, Mr. M. Arshad Mehmood Janjua, highlighted the significant potential for collaboration in tourism development, including joint marketing initiatives, exchange of tourism delegations, and participation in international travel and tourism exhibitions.
The discussions underscored the considerable scope for expanding bilateral cooperation beyond traditional trade areas, with tourism emerging as a key sector alongside pharmaceuticals, halal industry, manufacturing, and services. Participants noted that tourism development could also support broader economic linkages by promoting cultural exchange and strengthening people-to-people contacts.
The Ambassador’s interaction with FPCCI forms part of the Philippine Embassy’s continued efforts to strengthen economic diplomacy and promote closer engagement between the business and tourism sectors of the Philippines and Pakistan.
The meeting was followed by an interactive Q&A session with members of the business community, during which participants sought the Ambassador’s views on practical opportunities and challenges in expanding Pakistan–Philippines tourism and commercial ties. Questions focused on tourism promotion, travel and connectivity, visa and facilitation arrangements, investment opportunities, market access, and avenues for stronger business-to-business cooperation. Ambassador Fernandez and Vice Consul Mendoza responded to the queries and noted the importance of continued engagement between relevant government institutions, chambers of commerce, travel industry stakeholders, and the private sector to translate the identified opportunities into concrete partnerships. END
