Philippines–United Kingdom relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Formal diplomatic relations were established between the two countries on 4 July 1946. Relations between the two countries are cordial.
Philippine pre-independence
Relations between the Philippines and the United Kingdom date to Sir Francis Drake's arrival in Mindanao in 1579 after an almost three-year circumnavigational voyage aboard Golden Hind. Economic ties defined relations for the next four centuries. The Philippines became a part of the footprint of the East India Company. British companies took part in improving transportation infrastructure in the Philippines.
British occupation of Manila
The Kingdom of Great Britain occupied the city of Manila and the nearby port of Cavite between 1762 and 1764. Strong resistance from the provisional Spanish colonial government established by members of the Royal Audience of Manila and their Filipino allies prevented British forces from taking control of territory beyond the neighbouring towns of Manila and Cavite. The occupation was ended as part of the peace settlement of the Seven Years' War.
Modern era
On 16 September 1953, British Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary Frank S. Gibbs called at Malacañang to President Quirino to give the message of the newly-crowned monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, thanking the President for sending a personal representative for her coronation. Queen Elizabeth also gave her best wishes for the continued progress of the country.
Four members of the British Royal Family are known to have visited the Philippines. In 1980, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon visited the country. In 1997, after the Hong Kong Handover, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, made an official visit and met with President Fidel V. Ramos at Malacañang Palace. In 1999, Princess Anne, Princess Royal, visited the Philippines to visit the British School Manila in Parañaque. In 2001, Prince Andrew, Duke of York visited the Philippines to attend the inauguration of the British School Manila, upon its relocation from Parañaque to Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Prince Andrew, Duke of York revisited the British School Manila in 2004. On 19 March 2015, Princess Anne, Princess Royal visited the school in Taguig.
The British Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee visited the Philippines in 1986 to express support for the new government of then-President Corazon Aquino. British Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe visited in 1988 in an attempt to further strengthen bilateral relations. The following year, Filipino Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus became the first Philippine minister to visit Britain. In 2016, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond visited the Philippines to mark the 70th anniversary of Philippines–United Kingdom diplomatic relations. In 2023, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited the Philippines to discuss enhancing the bilateral "enhanced partnership" in accordance with the Rishi Sunak administration's Integrated Review Refresh.
Economic relations
The United Kingdom is currently the largest European investor in the Philippines. Likewise, most European tourists who visit the Philippines come from the United Kingdom, with about 90,000 visitors yearly.
The UK government spends in the region of £2 million per year of funding to facilitate scientific collaboration with the Philippines. The fund, administered through the British Embassy Manila, is to foster science and innovation partnerships for joint research on development topics, training and fellowships, and innovation capacity-building programmes. These joint projects tackle priority development concerns such as environmental resilience, food, and energy security, and health.
Former British Ambassador Asif Ahmad said: "Science and technology are key drivers to economic development. The Newton Fund will engage British and Filipino scientists as partners to increase their research and innovation capacity. The application of knowledge, tailored to the needs of the people of the Philippines, will address their current priorities and address long-term sustainable growth. The British invention of the internet transformed lives and it is not beyond reason to hope that Filipino-UK ingenuity could unlock further discovery."