Source: East-West Center
Aug. 19, 2026
A collaboration with the US Embassy in the Philippines to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of US-Philippines diplomatic relations, this latest edition highlights the Philippines’ vibrant diaspora and partnership with the United States on infrastructure and critical mineral supply chains.
HONOLULU (August 19, 2026) — The East-West Center launched the second edition of The Philippines Matters for America / America Matters for the Philippines at the Imin International Conference Center on August 10, underscoring the long-standing yet ever-evolving ties between the United States and the Philippines. View photos from the event on Flickr. (https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjD2FNb)
A collaboration between the East-West Center and the US Embassy in the Philippines, the publication features infographics, data, and analysis of the economic, security, and people-to-people connection between the two countries at the national, state, and local levels.
Welcome remarks were given by Celeste Connors, President of the East-West Center, and delivered via video by Ambassador Lee Lipton, United States Ambassador to the Philippines. Ambassador Jose Manuel del Gallego Romualdez, Ambassador of the Philippines to the United States, gave keynote remarks, while Hawaiʻi Senator Brian Schatz and Representative Young Kim (CA-40) offered congressional perspectives on eight decades of the US-Philippines relationship.
“From strengthening economic resilience and expanding trade and investment to advancing regional security, educational exchanges, healthcare cooperation, and enduring people-to-people ties, our alliance continues to grow in relevance and impact,” said Ambassador Romualdez in his remarks.
“We want American companies doing business in the Philippines. We want Filipino companies doing business in America,” said Ambassador Lipton. He added: “Artificial intelligence, advanced technology, and civil nuclear energy – these are the industries of the future. America is leading the way. We want the Philippines on our team at the leading edge.”
The launch featured a panel discussion with Consul General Arman R. Talbo, Consulate-General of the Philippines in Honolulu; Dr. Patricia Halagao, Co-Director of the Center for Philippine Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd, Professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies; and Col. Andrew DuBois, US Pacific Command Director of Southeast Asia Policy and Engagements.
"The United States and the Philippines are longstanding allies with a relationship that extends well beyond just our security partnership. This deep connection is especially visible here in Hawai'i, where the Filipino community has shaped our history, our culture, our economy, and our identity,” President Connors stated. “It extends across our work here at the East-West Center with our focus on economic security, bringing governments, businesses, and regional leaders together to move dialogue to practical cooperation. The Center's work is underpinned by the cultural ties and relationships that connect our communities.”
The launch was attended by 126 guests, including members of the Hawaiʻi state legislature and their staff, members of the Consular Corps of Hawaiʻi, business leaders, regional experts, students, and members of the Filipino American community. Capping the event was a reception that featured Filipino fare like lumpia and pancit, along with Filipino folk dances by the Mendoza Philippine Dance Group.
The second edition of The Philippines Matters brings to light updated key facts and figures that underpin the US-Philippines relationship. These include: * Bilateral trade between the United States and the Philippines totals $41.7 billion annually; * The United States is the Philippines’ top export market and its third largest overall trading partner, as well as the top single-country exporter of agricultural products to the Philippines; * During the 2024/2025 academic year, 4,573 students from the Philippines studied in the United States, the largest cohort on record; and * Philippine visitors add $2 billion to the US economy annually, while the United States was the second largest source of visitors to the Philippines in 2025.
Digital projects by participants in the EWC’s Young Professionals Program were released alongside the launch, highlighting and exploring local links between the Philippines and Hawai‘i over eight decades and more of history. Their work on Filipino American historic sites in Hawai‘i (https://asiamattersforamerica.org/articles/filipino-american-historic-sites-in-hawaii) and sister cities of Hawai‘i and the Philippines (https://asiamattersforamerica.org/articles/sister-cities-of-hawaii-and-the-philippines) can be viewed on the AsiaMattersforAmerica.org website, along with the new edition of (https://asiamattersforamerica.org/uploads/publications/2026-Philippines-Matters-for-America.pdf) The Philippines Matters for America / America Matters for the Philippines (https://asiamattersforamerica.org/uploads/publications/2026-Philippines-Matters-for-America.pdf) .
The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options.