Marcos thanks outgoing Spanish envoy for bolstering PH-Spain ties

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday received outgoing Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Miguel Utray in a farewell call at Malacañan Palace.

In a press release, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Marcos thanked Utray for his contributions to strengthening cooperation between the Philippines and Spain during his four-year tour of duty in the country.

Utray, who assumed his post in October 2022, is set to depart Manila on Oct. 14 for his new assignment as Spain’s ambassador to Angola.

He previously served as Spain’s consul general in Edinburgh and Melbourne and held diplomatic assignments at the Spanish embassies in Türkiye and Mexico.

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The envoy also held various positions in Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation; Instituto Cervantes; the Office of the Prime Minister; and the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies.

“During Ambassador Utray’s tenure, economic ties between the two countries continued to expand, with bilateral trade reaching $1.073 billion in 2025, up from $994.25 million in 2024,” the PCO said.

Spain was the Philippines’ 24th-largest trading partner in 2024, with major Philippine exports including tuna, skipjack, bonito, coconut oil, pineapples and other agricultural and manufactured products.

The PCO said tourism exchanges also recorded significant growth during Utray’s posting, with visitor arrivals from Spain nearly doubling to 60,290 in 2025 from 30,581 in 2024.

Meanwhile, about 185,000 Filipinos visited Spain in 2025, up from 125,000 the previous year.

Spain is also home to approximately 51,855 Filipinos, many of whom work in the services sector.

The Philippines and Spain established formal diplomatic relations on Sept. 27, 1947, and will mark the 80th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2027. /das