East Timorese-Filipino Relations

The states of East Timor and the Philippines maintain friendly relations .

history

UNMIT Police officers from the Philippines for East Timor (2007)

During the occupation of East Timor by Indonesia, the non-governmental organization Philippines Solidarity for East Timor and Indonesia (Phil-SETI) was established to support the demands for independence.

The two states are the only countries in Asia with a Catholic majority, which is why they feel culturally close. On May 20, 2002, on which East Timor was granted independence, representatives of both countries signed the agreement to establish diplomatic relations. East Timor's Prime Minister Marí Alkatiri visited the Philippines back in August .

On May 8, 2003, Rafael E. Seguis was appointed the first Filipino Ambassador to East Timor. On August 4, 2003, he received his accreditation from President Xanana Gusmão . He was still based in Jakarta, Indonesia . On May 17, 2004, Farita Aguilucho-Ong was the first Filipino ambassador based in Dili to receive her accreditation. The Philippines provided a large proportion of the contingent of soldiers and police officers in the UN missions between 1999 and 2012.

In 2008 three agreements were signed to cooperate on fishing, education and training of East Timorese diplomats.

At the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines, East Timor was the only participant without medals for a long time. The sporting spirit of the East Timorese inspired the Filipino audience so much that they supported the East Timorese athletes both in the stadium and in the social networks. Finally, East Timor won one silver and five bronze medals.

The Defense Forces of East Timor (F-FDTL) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also work closely together .

In February 2017, 1,398 Filipinos were living in East Timor. They worked as entrepreneurs, nurses, teachers, engineers, construction workers and clergy.

diplomacy

The Philippine Ambassador Abdulmaid Kiram Muin and East Timor’s President Francisco Guterres (2017)

East Timor has had an embassy in Manila since 2007.

The Philippines has had an embassy in Dili since 2004.

economy

The Philippines are a member of ASEAN , which East Timor wants to join.

In 2018, the East Timorese Statistical Office registered imports from the Philippines valued at 840,000 US dollars, placing them 23rd among the countries of origin. Exports to the Philippines are not listed.

Others

The late East Timorese politician Fernando de Araújo was married to a Filipino woman. Since April 2009 he was an honorary citizen of Dagupan , the city of his wife's birth.