Foreign traders imported French products such as stockings, muslin and linen cloth, umbrellas, gloves and coats in the Philippines while the Filipinos exported most of its indigo to France.

[9] France became the first country to establish a consul in Spanish Philippines, followed by Belgium, the United States and Great Britain in November 1844.

Lastly, Filipino residents in Paris, urged by the Philippine government in exile in Hong Kong, made a commission calling for the recognition of the Republic.

They collaborated with the National Historical Institute, local leaders, and civil society to refurbish the mosque and the tomb of Sheikh Karimul Makhdum, with plans to complete the project by mid-2009.

[16] France is the Philippines' fourth largest trading partner in the European Union after Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Conversely, France's exports to the Philippines grew by 9% to $1.01 billion in 2022, led by planes, helicopters, packaged medicaments, and pork.

[18][19] The September 2024 trade balance reflected a $40.4 million deficit for the Philippines, with top exports including optical fibers, industrial printers, and aircraft parts, and key imports such as packaged medicaments, animal meal, and trunks and cases.

[15] On the investment front, France ranked as a leading EU investor in the Philippines from 2017 to 2022, contributing $130 million across manufacturing, energy, trade, and communication sectors.

The agreement aimed to support the Philippines' key projects in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, renewable energy, and water sanitation to promote poverty reduction and inclusive growth.

The weekly service connects Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro, aiming to lower transport costs and improve the efficiency of goods distribution within the archipelago.

This development followed amendments to the Public Service Act, which lifted foreign ownership restrictions in the shipping industry, allowing CNC to expand its Philippine operations.

The French Embassy prepared for an anticipated increase in visa applications, with Ambassador Fontanel expressing strong support for the initiative as a long-standing goal for both countries.

In 1937, as the Philippines approached its independence from the United States, President Manuel L. Quezon established high-level connections through an official visit to France.

[25] President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo paid an informal working visit to France in 2003 to attend a UNESCO summit in Paris.

[28] Hollande attended a climate change forum in Manila and visited Guiuan, Eastern Samar, which was heavily devastated by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013.