Philippines, Chile Embark on First In-Person Round Negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in Santiago

Exteriores-Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales de Chile and Chief Negotiati (MINREL-SUBREI);  Undersecretary Claudia Sanhueza, Subsecretaria de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales; H.E. Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat, Ambassador of the Philippines to Chile; and Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty of the Department of Trade and Industry and Chief Negotiator of the Philippine delegation (Photo courtesy of SUBREI)

SANTIAGO 13 August 2025 — The Philippines and Chile successfully concluded its first in-person negotiations for the Philippines-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Santiago on 21-25 July 2025. The week-long negotiations focused on key chapters of the proposed CEPA including trade in goods and services, among other areas.

Philippine Ambassador to Chile Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat, in her remarks at the Opening Plenary on 21 July, highlighted the potential benefits of the agreement.  “The Philippines recognizes the expected mutual benefits from this agreement:  enhanced market access for our key exports; more quality goods for our consumers; and facilitative rules of trade that will streamline customs processes and reduce transaction costs,” emphasized the Ambassador. 

Undersecretary Claudia Sanhueza of the Bilateral Economic Affairs or Subsecretaría de Relaciones Económicas Internacionales de Chile (SUBREI) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, in her remarks during the plenary, acknowledged that the CEPA would be a significant step to expand cooperation in Southeast Asia, one of the most dynamic regions in the world.

Undersecretary Sanhueza sees the potential synergy between the Philippines and Chile, given the “highly complementary nature of our economies.”

The inter-agency Philippine delegation was led by Chief Negotiator Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Representatives from DTI, the Department of Justice, the Department of Finance, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Labor and the Employment, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Competition Commission, the Professional Regulation Commission, and other attached agencies, also attended the in-person negotiations in Santiago.

In his opening remarks, Undersecretary Gepty highlighted the strategic alignment of both countries. “Chile is a recognized leader in sustainable agriculture, clean energy, and mining innovation. The Philippines, with its young and dynamic workforce, its growing digital economy, and expanding manufacturing and services sectors, offers a gateway to Southeast Asia and beyond,” said the Undersecretary.

Chief Negotiator for Chile and Head of Asia and Oceania Division of SUBREI Pablo Urria, at the Opening Plenary, highlighted that the Philippines and Chile share the same level of ambition in the timely finalization of the agreement, and stressed the importance of opening new markets for exports and upholding the spirit of south-south cooperation.

In 2024, trade between the two countries reached USD 266 million with an average annual growth of 4.1%. The CEPA aims to provide a comprehensive framework for economic cooperation and aims to go beyond trade in goods and services by including other areas such as digital economy and intellectual property rights. The agreement seeks to enhance competitiveness, increase market access, and support the growth of small and medium enterprises through participation in international trade.

The Philippines-Chile CEPA is poised to be the Philippines's first economic agreement with a Latin American country. The CEPA negotiations were launched in December 2024 and both countries expressed commitment to finalize negotiations by end-2025. END

Ambassador Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat delivers her remarks at the Opening Plenary.

The Philippine and Chilean delegation of the first in-person round of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) Negotiations in Santiago.

For more information, visit https://www.santiagope.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinChile.