Bilateral relations with the Philippines are close, friendly and defined by common interests and values. Diplomatic relations were established by the Federal Republic of Germany in 1954 and by the then German Democratic Republic in 1973.

German traders were present in the Philippines as far back as the 1880s. Alongside the German Embassy, the German Club Manila, which was founded in 1906, the German European School Manila, the Goethe-Institut, the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and five of Germany’s political foundations ensure that Germany retains a high profile in the country.

Among EU member states, Germany is the Philippines’ most important trade and investment partner. The very active German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has around 300 member companies operating in sectors including pharmaceuticals, banking and insurance, aircraft maintenance, logistics, the automotive industry and plant engineering and construction.

In the past few years, Philippine care staff have been recruited to work in Germany, while cooperation on the recruitment of skilled workers in other professions is being developed. The Goethe-Institut, which has been active in the field of culture and language in Manila since 1961, currently teaches German to over 300 people. More than 1500 students are currently learning German at the 19 public schools coordinated by the Goethe-Institut’s Educational Services Department. The Philippines was the Guest of Honour at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair.

As a recognised German School Abroad, the German European School Manila (GESM) has provided education in German and English for over 40 years. As part of the EUROCAMPUS, the GESM and the French International School (LFM) offer unique opportunities for intercultural learning and mutual understanding in the spirit of European educational traditions.

The Philippines is one of the countries worldwide that are most affected by natural disasters, as well as by climate change and its consequences. That is why cooperation in the fields of climate action and protecting biological diversity is a priority of development cooperation.