14 April 2014 - Philippine Ambassador to Poland Patricia Ann V. Paez had a brunch-meeting with Governor Piotr Litwa and Deputy Governor Andrzej Pilot last April 8 in the Silesian Voivodeship Office in Katowice.


The officials discussed the state of trade and economic relations between the Philippines and Poland and the ways by which to spur such relations, specifically through partnership with Katowice and with the portion of  the Silesian region in Poland.

Ambassador Paez stressed that physical distance between the two countries should not be a barrier to bilateral trade. Deputy Governor PIlot likewise observed that a lack of information about the Philippines in Poland is a hindrance to a more robust bilateral economic relations.

The Ambassador thanked Governor Litwa and Deputy Governor Pilot for providing a forum in Katowice to improve Philippines-Poland trade relations, noting that there is a strong potential for the bilateral trade to expand and grow.

According to the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the volume of trade between the Philippines and Poland in 2012 was valued at US$ 63.12 million. In 2013, this went down to US$ 50.45 million, with Philippine exports to Poland amounting to only US$ 34.20 million and imports from Poland amounting to US$ 16.25 million. The balance of trade was in the Philippines’ favor at US$ 17.95 million.

Silesia is a region of central Europe now located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Silesia is divided into Lower Silesia and Upper Silesia. Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources and includes several important industrial centers.

Katowice is the main city in the Upper Silesian Industrial region in southern Poland and is the center of science, culture, industry, business, trade fair exhibitions, and transportation in the said region. It is the capital of the Silesian Voivodeship since its formation in 1999.

Today, Katowice is “the 16th economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union, with an output amounting to US$ 114.5 billion.” END