SANTIAGO, Chile — The Philippines and Chile marked a new chapter in bilateral cooperation during the second round—and first in-person—negotiations for the Philippine–Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (PH–CL CEPA), held in Santiago, Chile from 21–25 July 2025.

The Philippine delegation was led by Chief Negotiator and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty, with Jan Redmond L. Dela Vega, Division Chief of the DTI–Bureau of International Trade Relations (BITR), serving as the Lead Negotiator for the Trade in Services Chapter. The Trade in Services Chapter team also included Senior State Counsel Bernadette C. Ongoco of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Atty. Jinky Jane A. Arcilla of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and representatives from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC/Commission).

Launched in December 2024 with the signing of the Terms of Reference, PH–CL CEPA aims to advance the goal of building an inclusive and forward-looking trade framework. This round saw substantive discussions on the Trade in Services Chapter, including an information-sharing session on the recognition of professional qualifications and a stakeholder consultation with Filipino Professionals in Chile.

The PRC, represented by Atty. Melisa Jane Comafay Yeachana, Director of the PRC International Affairs Office (IAO), steered talks on the Annex on Professional Services, focusing on engineering and architectural services. She also joined a dedicated session with Chile’s Ministry of Education and the Undersecretariat of International Economic Relations (SUBREI), where the country’s regulatory framework was commended.

“This collaboration opens doors for enhanced mobility and mutual recognition of professionals between our two countries,” said Director Yeachana. While not yet in agreement to negotiate a mutual recognition arrangement, the agreement provides for an avenue for regulators to sit down and discuss mutual areas for collaboration under the professional sector.

The consultation with the Filipino community highlighted challenges in the diploma recognition and degree revalidation process, sparking talks on a potential bilateral recognition agreement to ease requirements.

To strengthen technical cooperation, the Philippine delegation met with the College of Engineers of Chile to explore potential collaboration in the areas of geodetic engineering, renewable energy, aeronautics, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology, among others — with future online exchanges and a possible Memorandum of Understanding on the horizon.

With negotiations gaining momentum, both sides are moving toward concluding a comprehensive agreement that will boost trade, expand professional mobility, and deepen bilateral cooperation, positioning Chile as a strategic gateway for the Philippines into the Latin American region.

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