It is with joyful fervor and immense pride that I convey my sincerest greetings to the Filipinos in the State of Qatar and elsewhere on the occasion of the 127th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence.
This significant national holiday serves as a poignant reminder of the profound challenges faced by our ancestors, and their immense sacrifices for the sake of our beloved country. Their remarkable courage and unwavering tenacity directly contributed to the cherished liberty we all enjoy today, allowing us to fully appreciate the hard-won freedoms that define our nation.
In Qatar, the Filipino spirit remains true and alive, especially with the active presence of over 240,000 nationals who call this peninsula their second home. Filipinos in this part of the world have contributed, and continue to contribute, to Qatar’s development, bringing with them their skills and talents, their dependability and dedication to work, and their unique zest for life that enrich the country’s dynamic and multicultural environment.
The Philippines’ sustained engagements with our Qatari friends and partners across a wide range of issues serve to strengthen and provide depth to the bilateral relationship between Manila and Doha. His Highness the Amir’s historic State Visit to the Philippines in 2024, the recent political consultation meeting in Manila in May 2025, and other joint engagements on issues that cover the two nations’ labor, economic, and cultural ties portend of greater things to come as the two nations are set to witness 45 years of formal diplomatic relations next year.
On the multilateral front, the Philippines continues to play its role as a responsible, trusted, and reliable international actor in an increasingly complex world. It is firmly committed to the primacy of a rules-based international order, whether on land or at seas, and remains meaningfully engaged with partners across the globe to address the most pressing issues of our times.
A champion of South-South cooperation, the Philippines hosted the High-level Ministerial Conference of Middle-Income Countries in April 2025, which yielded a new global action plan called the Makati Declaration. This outcome document is designed to provide substantial support to middle-income countries (MICs) by fostering stronger dialogue, enhancing coordination, and deepening cooperation. Its primary objective is to empower these nations to more effectively promote their collective interests and navigate the unique obstacles they encounter in advancing sustainable development across all aspects of their national endeavors.
The Philippines also champions initiatives with Least Developed Countries (LDCs) through triangular cooperation in education, capacity-building, and technical cooperation.
Building on its solid support for genuine multilateralism, the Philippines has formally submitted its bid for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in 2027-2028. Our candidature is premised on the importance we attach to the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes in maintaining international peace and security; the establishment of institutions to ensure safety and order in post-conflict societies; the implementation of measures to prevent conflicts, acts of aggression, genocide, and impunity; and the protection of civilians, their rights and freedoms, including promoting the role of women and youth in peace and security.
Indeed, as we mark our 127th Independence Day, we heed the national and global imperatives for comprehensive peace, justice, sustainable and inclusive growth, and shared environmental consciousness and responsibility.
Our collective history of triumph in asserting our national independence, as well as the relentless drive of the Filipino people to overcome complex challenges, speaks volumes of the spirit of a nation unbowed – the same spirit that guides our nation as it charts its own unique journey towards a just, progressive, and ecologically sound future in a friendly, peaceful, and rules-based global community.
