MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines and Mongolia reaffirmed the “enduring bonds of friendship” between the two nations, emphasizing that bilateral ties are founded on a shared commitment to “peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation,” the joint statement of the Philippines and Mongolia stated.
On Monday, the Foreign Minister of Mongolia, Ms. Batmunkh Battsetseg, started her Official Visit to the Philippines, upon the invitation of her Philippine counterpart, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique A. Manalo.
“During her visit, Minister B. Battsetseg held official talks with Secretary Manalo in Manila. As part of her official engagements, Minister B. Battsetseg also paid courtesy calls on President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., and Senate President Francis Joseph G. Escudero,” the joint statement read.
Both officials highlighted “common values,” such as freedom, democracy, and human rights; as well as the importance of an open, inclusive, and rules-based international order grounded in international law, equity, and justice, according to the statement.
In a joint press conference after the meeting, Manalo and Battsetseg emphasized the importance of adherence to the United Nations Charter” and reaffirmed commitment to the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes.”
“Beyond our economic ties, the Philippines and Mongolia are Asian democracies bound by shared values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. In this context, we reaffirmed our shared interest in the evolving Indo-Pacific landscape and in defending the rules-based international order,” Manalo said.
Both sides also recognized the critical importance of freedom of navigation and transit to economic growth and security, reaffirming support for the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the statement mentioned.
In the previous months, confrontations between China’s Coast Guard (CCG) and the Philippines’ Coast Guard and fishing vessels have been escalating, resulting in violent incidents of water cannoning, use of “military-grade” laser light against Philippine vessels, and “aggressive actions” resulting in two PCG ships sustaining damages due to what it called “unlawful and aggressive maneuvers” by CCG ships.
China claims ownership of almost 90 percent of the South China Sea, including areas that overlap with the Philippines’ and other Asian nations’ territorial waters.
(Photo courtesy of DFA)
Agreement on English language pilot program, agri cooperation
With Mongolia’s designation of English as its official second language, Manalo and Battsetseg signed an agreement, allowing Mongolian government officials and youth leaders to study English in the Philippines.
Both officials exchanged notes to conduct a pilot program to be organized by the Technical Cooperation Council of the Philippines.
According to the joint statement, “the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to tangible cooperation through joint initiatives focused on English language training for civil servants and youth leaders, particularly in rural areas, with the aim of promoting inclusive capacity building, strengthening mutual understanding, and contributing meaningfully to Mongolia’s long-term regional development objectives.”
Manalo and Battsetseg also discussed food security as “top priorities” for both Philippines and Mongolia, and reiterated their commitment to long-term food security at both regional and global levels under a proposed Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation being worked out by the two countries.
Both officials also noted that the Philippines and Mongolia are two of the world’s fastest growing economies, hence the benefits of pursuing trade and investment synergies for expanded economic cooperation.
“They affirmed their shared goal of fostering sustainable economic growth and of opening up opportunities for private sector collaboration,” the joint communique stated.
Both also affirmed their commitment to “strengthening trade and investment ties” by fostering economic growth and private sector collaboration, while advancing comprehensive trade cooperation, expanding trade volume, and promoting mutually beneficial market access.
On labor and the growing people-to-people ties, both countries reaffirmed the commitment to promoting the welfare of Filipino workers in Mongolia, including through the exploration of a bilateral labor agreement.
The Philippines and Mongolia also noted that both nations share a vision of “a world free of nuclear weapons,” and both officials expressed their belief that nuclear weapons-free zones are “vital confidence-building measures that advance regional security and global disarmament goals.”
Finally, both sides emphasized the importance of collective action to address climate change, focusing on building resilience and prioritizing disaster risk reduction.
With this, the Philippines expressed full support for Mongolia’s hosting of the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) of the United Nations to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), to be held in Ulaanbaatar in 2026, the joint statement read.
