PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN PORTUGAL TO SEEK MORE BUSINESS AND TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN THE PHILIPPINES AND PORTO

Continuing his official visits to different cities all over Portugal, Ambassador Paul Raymund P. Cortes met with key economic stakeholders in the cities of Aveiro, Porto and Matosinhos, aiming to strengthen ties between the Philippines and Portugal in the sectors of tourism, trade, and investment.

Ambassador Cortes met with Mr. Jorge Andrade, Manager of Quadrante, a tour operator that used to market and promote the Philippines prior to the pandemic. Mr. Andrade raised their company’s challenges posed by advancements in information technology. Despite these difficulties, Ambassador Cortes reassured Quandrante that the Philippine Embassy is open to collaborations to develop strategic approaches to engage the Portuguese market and further highlight the best of the Philippines.

Ambassador Cortes also visited NST Apparel, a 100% Filipino-owned garments manufacturing company located in Paredes, in northern Portugal. Along with Managing Director Ms. Ana Amorim and Sales Director Mr. Luis Albuquerque, Ambassador Cortes took a tour of NST Apparel's facility. They discussed NST Apparel's workforce of 300 Portuguese and 12 Filipino employees, and its production for high-end European luxury brands. The visit highlighted the successful Philippine investment in Portugal and the strong business synergy between the Philippines and Portugal. 

With a commitment to foster more proactive economic  ties with Portugal, Ambassador Cortes also paid courtesy to Associação de Empresarial de Portugal (AEP) Executive Vice-President, Dr. Paulo Vaz, to explore avenues for collaboration with Philippine entrepreneurs. Ambassador Cortes expressed the Philippine Embassy's significant interest in facilitating contacts between the Porto Chamber of Commerce and the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines.

Lastly, Ambassador Cortes visited Conservas Pinhais & Cia, a sardines canning factory established in 1920 in Matosinhos. Mr. Nuno Rocha, Sales Director welcomed the Ambassador and provided an informative briefing of the company’s history and operations. A highlight of the tour was the story of Mabuti sardines, a label that gained popularity among Filipino consumers in prewar Manila and was previously exported from Portugal to the Philippines.

Through the recent engagements of Ambassador Cortes in Aveiro, Porto and Matosinhos, the Philippine Embassy remains steadfast in its commitment to deepening bilateral relations between the Philippines and Portugal and further fostering cooperation in key sectors such as tourism, trade, and economic development.