The Philippines has concluded negotiations on its first free trade agreement with a Latin American country, agreeing a comprehensive economic partnership with Chile that Manila expects to help secure copper supplies for its electronics and semiconductor industries.
The Philippines-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, known as the PH-CL CEPA, was finalised in talks between the two governments, the Department of Trade and Industry said in a statement dated 25 July. It is the first such accord the Philippines has struck with a Latin American economy.
Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque welcomed the outcome during a meeting with Chile’s foreign minister, Francisco Pérez Mackenna. She said the agreement reflected the commitment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s administration to expanding the country’s network of high-quality trade agreements and creating opportunities for Filipino businesses, workers, farmers and consumers.
The deal goes beyond tariff cuts, according to the ministry, establishing a framework for cooperation on investment and the digital economy and carrying chapters on the environment, labour, global value chains, and trade and gender.
The agreement draws on complementary trade between the two economies. The Philippines ships electronic products, coconut products and personal care goods to Chile, and imports copper ores and concentrates, salmon and other products in return.
Copper supply is central to Manila’s interest in the deal. The ministry said reliable access to the metal was important to the country’s semiconductor, electronics, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing industries, sectors the government has placed at the heart of its industrial strategy.
Bilateral trade remains modest. Chile ranked as the Philippines’ 51st-largest trading partner in 2025, its 49th export market and 48th source of imports, according to the ministry’s figures.
The conclusion of talks coincides with the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year. The ministry did not give a timeline for the signing or ratification of the agreement, nor did it release details of specific tariff commitments or the coverage of the deal.