Trade Secretary Maria Cristina A. Roque said the Philippines and Chile hope to sign their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by October, as reported by BusinessWorld.
Roque made the announcement on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tech Summit on Wednesday, adding that the agreement is pending final legal reviews from both sides. The CEPA aims to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties by reducing tariffs and improving market access.
Once signed, the pact would be the Philippines' first bilateral free trade agreement with a South American country. Chile is already a key trading partner in the region, with trade in goods reaching $1.2 billion in 2025.