PHILIPPINES AND GERMANY GEAR UP FOR THE

PHILIPPINES-EUROPEAN UNION  FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

10 June 2026 – Ambassador Maria Teresa T. Almojuela and German Asia-Pacific Business Association (Ostasiatiche Verein e.V. or OAV) Chair Dr. Arnd Nenstiel discussed steps to further advance Philippine-Germany bilateral economic relations amidst a strong momentum in political ties, as both countries looked ahead to the visit of President Frank Walter Steinmeier to the Philippines on 15-16 June 2026.

With Germany as the Philippines’ biggest trading partner in Europe, both sides are gearing up to reap the promise of the Philippines-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The FTA, which has reached the final stages of negotiations, represents a critical opportunity for scaling up trade and investment.  

Present during the meeting were OAV‘s new Managing Director Anna-Lena Schütte, Minister and Consul Mary Luck Hicarte, and Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Berlin Head and  Commercial Counsellor Nicanor Bautista.

OAV was founded in 1900 as a lobbying platform for North German trading houses, and has since become Germany’s nationwide representative in engaging Asian economies.  Dr. Nenstiel was elected Chair of OAV on 24 November 2003, having been a member of the association’s Executive Committee since 2016.  END

The Philippine Embassy in Berlin hosted the “Pistang Kalayaan 2026,” an open house event for the Filipino community and friends in celebration of the 128th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence (PID), at the Embassy on 06 June 2026.  With the theme “Kalye+Kulinarya,”  the event featured samplings of Filipino street food and the experience of Philippine street vibes.  

The event started with the signing of the Philippine National Anthem by Berlin-based tenor Jose Marie Rubio, followed by ecumenical prayer offered by Fr. Simon Boiser of the Archdiocese of Berlin, Pastor BJ Edward Taduran of the Christ’s Commission Fellowship-Germany, and Pastor Maryann Heinze of the Jesus Is Lord-Germany.

Philippine Ambassador to Germany H.E. Maria Teresa T. Almojuela officially opened the program.  She welcomed the guests, pointing out that the  celebration to mark the 128th Philippine Independence Day is a celebration of the journey of the nation, the community and every Filipino at home and abroad.  She recounted the nation’s hard-fought journey toward independence from colonial Spain, culminating its status as the first republic in Asia and advocate of democracy and freedom. Ambassador Almojuela described the modern Filipino diaspora as a continuation of the journey of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, who lived in Berlin from 1886 to 1887.  Rizal fully engaged with the German society as a scholar and expatriate, fostering  friendships, cultural connection and understanding, including through his donation of Philippine artifacts to German museums. Rizal published his seminal novel, Noli Me Tangere, in Germany in March 1887.  Rizal’s legacy lives through the contemporary Filipino diaspora in Berlin who connect the Philippines and Germany in vibrant ways. 

The Embassy’s Open House featured interactive setups like Sari-Sari Store,  Karinderya, Tianggihan, and Mamang Sorbetero to recreate the vibrant atmosphere of a traditional Filipino barangay neighborhood.  Adding to this experience were festive banderitas (bunting) and iconic Manila street signs put up in the frontage and key spaces in the Embassy. 

The Sari-Sari Store was stocked with traditional neighborhood staples, including candies, tsitsirya (snacks), biscuits, and homemade ice candy (avocado, melon, and fruit salad flavors).  Traditional wooden benches were added to recreate a local tambayan (hangout spot) of the neighborhood.  The Karinderya served a sampling of classic Filipino street foods and everyday dishes.  The Tianggihan featured curated vendors selling food and non-food products.  The  Mamang Sorbetero featured a replica of a dirty ice cream cart and a sorbetero distributing ube ice cream in waffle cones to guests and passersby. 

All throughout the event, guests were entertained through live performances of OPM songs.  Embassy personnel and guest artists played guitar to perform Filipino hits across OPM eras.  Featured tracks included Harana by Parokya ni Edgar (1990s), Dahil Sayo by Iñigo Pascual (2000s) and Anak by Fredie Aguiar (1970s).  Other guitar enthusiasts later joined in to also play OPM tracks. Attendees enthusiastically sang along, danced, and cheered throughout the performances. 

The Open House also featured an art workshop of pre-schoolers, teens and adults facilitated by Filipino scientist and artist Ms. Issa Tabasuares. This collective effort produced an artwork entitled, “After you, Dr. Jose Rizal! Our Pinoy Fiesta in Berlin.” (End)

Ambassador Maria Teresa T. Almojuela welcomes guests to Pistang Kalayaan 2026.  (Photo credit: Berlin PE)

Embassy personnel, guest artists and other guitar enthusiasts perform various Original Pilipino Music (OPM) tracks during the event to the delight of guests. (Photo credit: Berlin PE)

Embassy personnel and guests happily pose with the Sari-Sari Store in the background  / foreground. (Photo credit: Berlin PE)

Filipino street foods and everyday dishes in Embassy’s Karinderya  include  pork adobo, kikiam, fishballs, pancit, tokneneng, karioka, turon with langka, vegie lumpia, pork chicharon, samalamig, Filipino-style spaghetti, chicken wings, hotdogs with marshmallows on sticks, pitchi-pitchi, and steamed rice, etc. (Photo credit: Berlin PE)

Artist Isa Tabasuares (in white) together with participating kids, teens and adults are seen working on a 1.4 meter x 1 meter canvass to work on an artwork themed “After you, Dr. Jose Rizal! Our Pinoy Fiesta in Berlin.”

A Sorbetero cart is displayed in front of the Embassy.  Also seen in the photos are Embassy personnel serving ube ice-cream to guests and passers-by. (Photo credit: Berlin PE)

Guests at various spaces at the Embassy’s Pistang Kalayaan 2026. (Photo credit: Berlin PE)