About

A bridge between two growing economies.

PhilTürk — the Turkish Business Association of the Philippines — is an independent, non-profit association dedicated to strengthening commercial cooperation between Türkiye and the Philippines.

Our mission

To build meaningful partnerships and facilitate trade, investment and business opportunities between Türkiye and the Philippines.

Our vision

To be the most trusted bridge between the Turkish and Philippine business communities across Southeast Asia.

Our values

Integrity, reciprocity and long-term relationships. We back every introduction with follow-through.

Our reach

Members, partners and institutional relationships spanning İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Manila, Cebu and Davao.

Our story

Built by the community it serves.

2023
Founding members convene the first Turkish business roundtable in Manila.
2024
PhilTürk is formally incorporated as a non-profit association (TBAP · FTİD).
2025
First outbound delegation to İstanbul; cooperation talks with chambers begin.
2026
Annual Türkiye–Philippines Business Forum and a full delegation calendar.

Want to be part of the association?

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What we do

Four workstreams, one mandate.

Trade facilitation

We help companies move from first contact to a shipped order — with the paperwork, partners and market context that decide whether a deal survives.

Buyer and supplier identification in both markets
Customs, certification and product registration guidance
Introductions to freight forwarders and distributors

Investment promotion

For companies establishing a presence, we shorten the learning curve on entity setup, incentives and local partnership structures.

PEZA, BOI and CREATE incentive orientation
Entity structuring and foreign ownership rules
Site and industrial estate introductions

Delegations & forums

A recurring calendar of inbound and outbound missions, each built around vetted one-to-one meetings rather than open networking.

Two outbound and two inbound missions per year
Pre-screened B2B matchmaking agendas
Post-mission follow-through for one full quarter

Advocacy & dialogue

We represent member interests to institutions on both sides and keep the community informed on policy that affects trade.

Engagement with embassies, DTI, BOI, TOBB and DEİK
Position notes on tariffs and market access
Quarterly policy briefings for members

Governance & structure.

PhilTürk is governed by an elected Board of Trustees serving two-year terms, supported by a Secretariat in Metro Manila and sector committees chaired by member executives.

Board of Trustees

Nine elected trustees serving two-year terms, drawn from member companies across manufacturing, trade, services and professional practice.

Secretariat

A permanent office in Bonifacio Global City handling membership, delegation logistics, enquiries and partner coordination.

Sector committees

Member-chaired working groups that set the agenda for their industry, propose missions and review incoming trade enquiries.

Sector committees and their focus
Committee	Focus	Meets
Trade & Manufacturing	Machinery, construction materials, automotive components	Monthly
Agri-Food & FMCG	Food exports, halal certification, retail distribution	Monthly
Energy & Infrastructure	Renewables, EPC contracting, public projects	Quarterly
Professional Services	Legal, tax, logistics, banking and advisory	Quarterly
Young Professionals	Early-career members, mentoring and community	Bi-monthly

The association in numbers

Founded: 2023
Member companies: 120+
Sectors represented: 14
Cities covered: 9

Who we work with

Chambers & business councils
TOBB, DEİK and Philippine chambers for reciprocal delegation hosting.
Government agencies
DTI, BOI and PEZA on the Philippine side; Turkish trade attachés abroad.
Diplomatic missions
The Turkish Embassy in Manila and the Philippine Embassy in Ankara.
Financial institutions
Banks and trade finance providers supporting cross-border transactions.
Universities
Academic partners for research, exchanges and market studies.
Member companies
The core of the association — exporters, importers, investors and advisers.