MANILA – Humanitarian and development cooperation are key elements in 75 years of Philippine-Türkiye relations.
Over the years, the two nations displayed remarkable camaraderie, marked with timely intervention and aid in times of need and calamity.
When Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), unleashed its fury and tore through the Visayas in 2013, Türkiye was among the first countries to arrive and extend help.
Even before the extent of damage was determined at that time, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued an immediate order for aid teams to provide rescue support.
As recalled by Turkish Ambassador Niyazi Evren Akyol, communities remember the Turkish compassion to this day.
“Turkish teams stayed there for months on end with aid, helping people directly. And I have met many people still remembering from the region and praising and expressing gratitude for our efforts,” he told the Philippine News Agency in a recent interview.
Last year, the Philippines reciprocated this and was quick to lend assistance when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye and left a trail of destruction and thousands of deaths.
Amid the freezing temperature in the quake-hit communities, an 82-member Philippine rescue team flew to Türkiye to assist in rescue and recovery operations.
Beyond immediate relief, Türkiye also supported efforts to foster long-term growth in the country by financing “high-impact” projects in various regions.
Since establishing its office in the country, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency has completed around USD6 million in aid programs — skill-building and human resource-building projects, renovation of schools, and provision of medical, agricultural and educational equipment.
As the two nations mark 75 years of diplomatic relations this year, Akyol offers an optimistic look into the Philippine-Türkiye ties in the future.
“This is an old relationship — a longstanding and strong relationship. We have a history of helping each other in dark times, especially as both our countries are very much disaster-prone,” he said.
“A measure of friendship is how you help each other during these times and we consider our activity here, our relationship with the Philippines, as a long-term relationship with great potential,” he added.
The envoy also reaffirmed Türkiye’s continuing support for the peace efforts in Mindanao.
An international expert from Türkiye currently chairs the Independent Decommissioning Body Board, which was created by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to oversee the process of decommissioning of forces and weapons in the Bangsamoro region.
It is a key component of the normalization structure in accordance with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
“When all the items in the peace agreement and the related laws are fully implemented, we will continue to support the strengthening of the peace as a permanent, resilient state of affairs,” Akyol said.
“The stability of the Philippines is essential for the stability of this region. And the stability of this region is essential for the stability of the whole world,” he added.
The Philippines is Türkiye’s oldest diplomatic partner in Southeast Asia, with relations formally established when the two signed the Treaty of Friendship on June 13, 1949.
On top of development and peace, the two states have also seen increased engagement in the fields of education, defense, and especially economy with more and more Turkish companies increasingly taking interest in the country. (PNA)