Sultanate of Oman to set up Consulate office in Cebu soon

CEBU CITY – The Sultanate of Oman is set to establish its Consulate Office in Cebu very soon, bared His Excellency Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, Foreign Minister of Oman, in a press conference where a team of Oman delegation gathered in Cebu for the Cebu-Oman Investment Forum 2025, hosted by the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) on July 12 at NUSTAR Resort in Cebu City with Mikaela Pacubas Yap, facilitating the event as the overall chair of the forum.

“It is important to seize the moment of opportunity to craft a future where the connections created by Overseas Filipino Workers in Oman serve as a foundation for a flourishing economic partnership and framing a new chapter in the story of Oman and the Philippines and to make it a beautiful and rewarding one,” HE Foreign Minister Albusaidi said.

Albusaidi acknowledged the Philippines’ economic potential and encouraged Filipino businesses to find a home in Oman's markets, while Omani enterprises are invited to thrive in the Philippines' vibrant economy. The vision includes creating joint ventures, exchanging expertise, and nurturing prosperity together.

His Excellency underscored the endless opportunities for collaboration between Oman and Cebu, expanding air and shipping connectivity to strengthening ties in renewable energy, education and trade.  There are many areas of mutual interest to explore and invest in each other's future, create joint ventures, exchange expertise and engage mutually and nurture prosperity together, between Cebu and Oman.

“The forum marked a new chapter in the friendship between Oman and the Philippines, aiming to elevate their long-standing relationship to a dynamic economic partnership. The Philippines as a land of enormous potential, driven by innovation, a skilled workforce, and an entrepreneurial spirit.  This forum is an open invitation to explore and invest in each other's future, aiming to forge robust economic bonds,” Albusaidi said in his opening statement.

According to His Excellency, Oman, with its strategic location and Vision 2040, offers a gateway to over  two billion consumers, free trade zones, and incentives for foreign investors, including 100% ownership and tax exemptions. The Philippines, with its thriving economy and entrepreneurial spirit, presents opportunities in technology, agriculture, infrastructure, and hospitality.

Albusaidi mentioned the large number of Overseas Filipino Workers in Oman, noting their safety, respect, and opportunities, and the shared values of modesty, hospitality, and tolerance between the Filipino and Omani people. The Philippines and Oman has shared value system, rooted in mutual respect and a deep sense of community, which has fostered trust and collaboration, he added.

“There is a need to move beyond traditional manpower relations and embrace business communities and investors from both nations and Oman's strategic location in the Northwest Indian Ocean offers access to markets of over 2 billion people,” Albusaidi said.

Oman’s Vision 2040 initiative is a driving force for economic diversification, with world-class infrastructure, free trade zones, and incentives for foreign investors.  Oman's free trade agreements with countries like the US, Singapore, and others along with other sectors in the world open for investment, such as renewable energy, logistics, real estate, and technology, Albusaidi concluded.