Polish govt vows to nurture relations with PHL, keen on furthering potential
THE Republic of Poland’s burgeoning cooperation with the Philippines may have been slightly tempered by the pandemic, but it is now slowly reverting to normalcy and harnessing its full potential.
In a recent interview with Filipino journalists at Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Director Barbara Szymanowska of the Department of Asia and Pacific outlined the multilayered partnerships between the two countries spanning various sectors of interest and holding much promise for the future.
Economic and investment relations-wise, Szymanowska admitted that trade interactions between Poland and the Philippines are still “on a relatively low level,” yet constantly growing rather rapidly despite hurdles presented by the pandemic.
“In the last five years it grew by more than 120 percent: from $397.6 million in 2016, to $877.85 million in 2021,” the MOFA director revealed.
“I really believe that right now, we are back on track, and we will continue to conduct more traditional cooperation,” confirmed Szymanowska, whose designation is equivalent to that of an assistant secretary in the Philippine government.
The MOFA’S Asia-pacific Department oversees Poland’s relations that bind it with countries from the said region. She revealed that China, the Republic of Korea (South Korea), Australia, India, Japan are its “biggest partners,” and that Southeast Asia is just as vital, being “one of the most dynamic” in the world in terms of economic, political and social matters.
Szymanowska is pleased, too, with the fact that the Polish government was able to contribute to the pandemic-combating efforts of its Philippine counterpart, with a grant of 547,100 Astrazeneca vaccines back in November 2021.
She touched on both countries’ military collaboration in 2021 with the successful procurement of 16 Black Hawk S-70i helicopters from Polish manufacturer PZL Mielec. Early this year another contract worth $624 million for a batch of 32 choppers was formalized with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
(Read the story in the Businessmirror: “DND chief signs deal for purchase of 32 more Black Hawk choppers,” February 22, 2022.)
The Polish government official also made special mention about the most significant Filipino investment in Poland: “The Baltic Container Terminal (BCT) in the port city of Gdynia is being run by your International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI). It is one of the largest terminals in its region, and the leading container terminal in Poland.”
However, Szymanowska explained that BCT’S lease is supposed to expire by 2023, with a tender underway for a new operator, as ICTSI is competing with China’s Hutchinson Port. At stake, she said, is the right to lease the area and operate the terminal for the next 30 years. (Read the story: “Poland-based ICTSI firm looks beyond 2023,” May 3, 2022.)
People-to-people partnership
TOURISM, Szymanowska averred, remains a strong suit for the ties that bind Poles and Filipinos. Prepandemic, 16,572 of her countrymen discovered the Philippines in 2019—a 6-percent rise from 15,564 in 2018.
The Polish director admitted that they are closely following the trend of the increased arrivals of Filipino professionals in Poland: “As a response to a growing demand for their skills, we created a visa-outsourcing system last year, so that more Filipinos can have the chance to work and live in our country.” Between January 2021 and April 2022, she said that 2,808 work visas for Filipinos were issued at the Polish Embassy in Manila—including for those pursuing seasonal work.
“Majority of Filipino laborers, about 1,144, take up employment for the Polimery Police investment, which is the largest chemical complex in Poland,” the official relayed.
Political front
IN the realm of political relations, Poland and the Philippines maintain interparliamentary collaboration, with top government officials of each country having interacted with their local counterparts, led by the chairpersons of the Polish Sejm (Congress) and Senat, as well as the Philippine Senate.
High points of political interactions include the recent visits of government secretaries to the Eastern European country, including that of Defense Secretar y Delfin Lorenzana from November 7 up to 12, 2021.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. likewise led the country’s efforts for the evacuation of Filipinos from Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, as he went to the Polish border crossing in Hrebenne to personally oversee the transit of 13 nationals.
“We thank the Ambassador of the Philippines to Poland Leah Basinangruiz for coordinating the evacuation process,” the director noted.
Not long ago, then-vice president Gloria Arroyo’s visit to Poland in 2000, and that of former Polish prime minister Marek Belka to the Philippines five years later, solidified mutual linkages between the two countries.
Historical highlights
DIPLOMATIC relations between the two republics commenced on September 22, 1973; however, linkages between their peoples stretch farther, dating from the past centuries. Those encounters were initiated by Polish missionaries, travelers, researchers, adventurers, musicians, soldiers and entrepreneurs.
As such, Szymanowska is also enthusiastic about the 50th anniversary of formal ties between her country and the Philippines, which will take place next year.
After operating from 1981 and 1982, then between 1991 and 1993, the Embassy of Poland in the Philippines reopened in January 2018. Three honorary Polish consulates in San Fernando, Pampanga; Cebu City and Davao City were also founded some years back.