UK-PH celebrate 80 years of relations

This year, the Philippines and the United Kingdom are celebrating 80 years of diplomatic relations.

- CAROLYN RAMORAN HAMILTON

A milestone marked by growing trade, expanding security cooperation, and increasingly ambitious partnerships on climate, education, and development.

But perhaps the strongest measure of the relationship is not found in policy papers or economic statistics. It is found in people.

More than 200,000 Filipinos now live and work in the UK, serving in hospitals, classrooms, businesses, research institutions, and local communities across the country. Their presence—and their contributions—have become an important part of the story of modern UK-PH relations.

Those connections were one of the key highlights as the British Embassy in Manila hosted the official celebration of the birthday of His Majesty King Charles III at Makati Shangri-La, an occasion that also marked eight decades of friendship between the two nations.

“This year is a special milestone, 80 years of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and the Philippines,” British Ambassador Sarah Hulton told guests. “Tonight is about both honoring that history and looking forward ahead to what we can build together for the future.”

For Hulton, the anniversary carries a personal significance. The Philippines was her first overseas posting at the beginning of her diplomatic career two decades ago.

“The warmth and welcome I encountered then have stayed with me,” she said. “To return now as the United Kingdom’s ambassador and to mark 80 years of friendship is a real privilege.”