President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will host Polish President Karol Nawrocki for a state visit to Manila from October 5 to 8, 2026. According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), this marks the first-ever visit to the Philippines by a Polish head of state since the two countries established diplomatic relations on September 22, 1973.
The upcoming visit is expected to open new opportunities for cooperation across defense and security, trade, and agriculture, while also addressing regional and international issues. The historic trip follows a series of high-level diplomatic engagements between Manila and Warsaw over the past year.
Two Rounds of Talks Precede State Visit
The state visit follows two rounds of high-level talks held earlier in 2026. The Philippines-Poland Joint Defense Cooperation Committee held its inaugural meeting in Warsaw in July, which was followed by the 7th Philippines-Poland Political Consultations in Manila in September, as detailed by the PCO.
Trade ties between the two nations have expanded steadily over the past decade. In 2025, Poland ranked as the 28th largest trading partner of the Philippines. Poland is home to an estimated 25,000 Filipino nationals, according to government records.
Bilateral relations received an additional boost in July 2026 when Poland acceded to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC). Poland joined Lithuania, Romania, and Sweden in signing the treaty during its 50th anniversary commemorations in Manila, which took place under the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
President Nawrocki Headlines Business Summit in Makati City
In addition to formal state talks, President Nawrocki’s itinerary features economic and technology engagements in Makati City. According to reporting by The PhilBizNews, Nawrocki is set to headline the fifth Poland–Philippines IT Business Summit. The gathering, themed “The Art of Smart Cities,” is organized by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH), the Embassy of Poland in Manila, and Spiderhook Inc.
The summit brings together approximately 200 participants from government, business, and technology sectors to discuss urban mobility, digital services, infrastructure, digital payments, and cybersecurity. Bartek Wasiewski, head of the Polish Investment and Trade Agency’s Foreign Trade Office in Manila, noted that the President’s opening participation highlights Poland’s push to turn event outcomes into lasting partnerships.
The program also incorporates a youth dimension through the Poland–Philippines Smart Cities Hackathon, organized alongside academic partner iACADEMY. Five teams of Filipino senior high school and college students developed digital solutions for transport access in Makati, with the winning team scheduled to present its project during the summit where Nawrocki is expected to meet the participating students.
Leaders Tackle Expanding Cooperation in Multiple Sectors
Malacañang stated that the visit is expected to further strengthen Philippines-Poland relations across all sectors of mutual interest. The leaders will tackle expanding cooperation in science and technology, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), legal cooperation, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.
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