DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 28th Sep, 2025) Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines, welcomed the UAE government delegation during their official visit to Manila, capital of the Philippines.
The two governments jointly organised the Government Experience Exchange Forum aimed at promoting effective partnerships and expanding cooperation in sharing experiences, best practices, and innovative approaches to government modernisation.
The President of the Philippines expressed his gratitude to the UAE for their continuous support. “It is my pleasure to welcome Abdulla Nasser Lootah and the UAE delegation at the conclusion of the Government Experience Exchange Forum. We appreciate the UAE’s consistent support of Filipino workers, and for being a true partner in building smarter, future-ready governments. Through sharing experiences and cooperation, we can drive real change for our people,” he added.
The UAE delegation included Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange; Mohamed Obaid Salem, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines; and members of the Government Experience Exchange Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, stressed that promoting government knowledge and enhancing readiness for the future through developing international cooperation models focused on experience exchange, is a cornerstone of the UAE’s wise leadership vision.
He noted that this approach strengthens international relations and empowers governments and societies to shape a better future for next generations.
“The UAE and the Philippines enjoy strong historical ties based on cooperation and partnerships across multiple sectors. The Government Experience Exchange initiatives add significant value to this partnership and represent a key driver for advancing bilateral relations, bringing mutual benefits to both nations,” Al Gergawi stressed.
On her part, the First Lady of the Republic of the Philippines, Louise Araneta Marcos, hailed the productive cooperation between the two governments across various fields, including government experience exchange. She commended the joint efforts in designing and implementing innovative initiatives that empower government leaders, youth, and women in the Philippines.
During her meeting with the UAE delegation from the Government Experience Exchange Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, the First Lady stated that this visit, aimed at expanding cooperation in government modernisation, reflects the deep historical ties between the two countries and embodies their shared visions to develop and empower human resources, enhance performance, and contribute to promoting social wellbeing.
The two governments organised the Government Experience Exchange Forum in Manila as a strategic initiative to promote positive partnerships and enrich cooperation in experience-sharing. The Forum focused on developing innovative ideas and solutions to accelerate the achievement of the Philippines’ national priorities.
The event embodied the directives of the UAE leadership to bolster bilateral partnerships by exchanging expertise, enhancing government work and performance, and developing institutional excellence practices.
The Forum was attended by Louise Araneta Marcos, First Lady of the Philippines; Amenah Pangandaman, Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management; Henry R. Aguda, Secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology; Rosemarie G. Edillon, Undersecretary at the National Economic and Development Authority; and Michael Aguinaldo, Chairperson of the Philippine Competition Commission.
The UAE delegation included senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, including Mohammed Al Taher, Director of Strategy & Policy Department; Fahad AlSuwaidi, Advisor on the Government Performance and Excellence; and Amer Abdulraouf, Executive Director of Special Projects at the Dubai Future Foundation.
Lootah emphasised that the Forum marks a new phase in the journey of cooperation in the field of government experience. “The Forum provides an opportunity to enrich practices, explore modernisation models, and exchange innovative ideas and solutions that advance government work and contribute to shaping a prosperous future for society,” Lootah said.
He stressed that cooperation in government modernisation requires keeping pace with global changes, adding that sustaining this dialogue through experience-sharing platforms and joint activities ensures continuous government performance development and positive change.
The UAE–Philippines Government Experience Exchange Forum featured a series of presentations highlighting mechanisms to accelerate the implementation of the Philippines’ national priorities, innovative models tailored to each stage of development, leading practices, and the successful outcomes of the strategic government partnership between the two nations.
The Forum also discussed several strategic pillars, most notably: strategy and innovation, government performance and excellence, competitiveness and statistics, government services, artificial intelligence, and future foresight.
In the Strategy and Innovation pillar, both sides discussed ways to enhance integration in shaping future visions for the Philippines, reinforcing socio-economic development, and enhancing government agility in addressing global shifts with creativity and resilience.
Discussions under the Government Performance and Excellence pillar focused on promoting a culture of quality and leadership across Philippine government institutions by adopting best practices that ensure continuous improvement and development, while achieving greater efficiency in government performance.
Within the Competitiveness and Statistics pillar, the Forum focused on the importance of developing national competitiveness systems and enhancing statistical capabilities, providing accurate data to support decision-making and strengthen the Philippines’ position on global competitiveness indices.
In the Government Services pillar, both sides explored opportunities for cooperation in designing and developing innovative models for delivering government services, reflecting best practices in customer’s journey and satisfaction, placing people at the center of government design.
Under the Artificial Intelligence and Future Foresight pillar, Forum participants discussed prospects for employing advanced technologies to accelerate development pathways, while equipping national talent with future-ready skills to build a flexible government model capable of adapting to global changes.
The Forum also featured interactive dialogue sessions between UAE and Philippine government officials, alongside presentations showcasing key inspiring experiences and pioneering practices in the journey of government modernization and development.
In February 2025, the two governments launched their partnership under the Government Experience Exchange Programme, focusing on government modernisation, performance enhancement, and institutional innovation, with the objective of exchanging expertise and knowledge in key areas such as government activity improvement, joint efforts to advance governance practices, institutional capacity-building, leadership development, public budget and expenditure management, knowledge management for government services, and innovation.
