ALTHOUGH Poland celebrates its Independence Day on November 11, the Polish Embassy in Manila gathered Poles, friends and guests at the Grand Hyatt Manila in BGC, Taguig City on Nov. 6, 2024 for an advance celebration of the 106th anniversary of the rebirth of the Polish state.

In her speech, Charge d'affaires Anna Krzak-Danel gave a brief history of her country's rebirth.

Addressing distinguished guests; officials of the Philippine government; fellow workers in the diplomatic community; representatives of culture, media and business; and all friends of Poland as drodzy rodacy or dear friends, she said it was her utmost honor to host the reception.

"November is a special month for us Poles, as it is when we celebrate the regaining of our independence. On Nov. 11, 1918, Józef Piłsudski assumed command of the Polish forces and became the de facto head of the reborn Polish State. I said regaining, not declaring independence. Why? Poland's history spans over a thousand years. Our state experienced its greatest prosperity in the 16th and early 17th centuries — our Golden Age," she began.

"Yet history, as we know, has its turns. Our powerful neighbors — Russia among them — exploited internal weaknesses in Poland, carrying out three partitions of our country. After the final one of 1795, Poland was erased from the map of Europe for 123 years," she continued.

"In Poland, we have a saying, 'appetite grows with eating.' The same applies to powerful nations that seek to expand by consuming smaller neighbors. This is evident in Poland's example and, regrettably, in recent history as well. When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, it came as a shock. Yet many in the international community hoped that Russia's appetite would end there. But it did not. In 2022, Russia launched an unjustified, illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine," she related.

"We must all learn from this. There can be no tolerance for even the smallest violations of another country's sovereignty. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rightly stated in his SONA (State of the Nation Address) in 2022 that the Philippines would 'not cede even one square inch' of its territory to any foreign power. Once again, appetite grows with eating. Poland experienced it in the 18th century. Ukraine faces it now. And Asia, too, has its own 'player with a voracious appetite,'" she warned.

"Today's world is different from that of the 18th century. Most civilized nations believe in a rules-based international order, rejecting violence to solve disputes, and in cooperation and dialogue over war and aggression. Poland and the Philippines both stand by these values. During his visit to Manila in September, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski reaffirmed Poland's commitment to Unclos and to the 2016 PCA ruling on the South China Sea. The Philippines can count on our support," she assured.

"We look forward to enhancing political dialogue between our countries. We are glad that discussions initiated during Minister Sikorski's visit will be continued during upcoming political consultations in Warsaw on November 13. Political cooperation is vital, but we can do more. There is an old Roman maxim [that says] 'if you want peace, prepare for war.' As a peace-loving nation, Poland aims to avoid war at all cost. That's why our defense spending rose to 4.2 percent of GDP in 2023, making Poland a leader among NATO (or North Atlantic Treaty Organization) countries. We plan to increase this further to 4.7 percent in 2024. The current administration of the Philippines is also committed to enhancing the country's military capabilities, recognizing this as the best means of protection and deterrence," Krzak-Danel further said.

"I am proud that Poland is a reliable partner in strengthening these capacities. Polish-made Black Hawk and Sokół helicopters serve your country today – not only for military purposes but also for search and rescue operations and disaster response, including those during recent typhoons," she averred.

"We hope to broaden our cooperation beyond defense and establish a Joint Commission on Military Cooperation to address non-traditional security threats, such as hybrid warfare and cybersecurity. Poland, having faced such challenges primarily from our eastern neighbor, has gained valuable experience in countering these threats, and we are prepared to share our insights," she said.

"Covid-19 and Russia's war against Ukraine have shaken the international order, disrupting supply chains and posing serious challenges to food security. In this area, Poland can also be a reliable partner, as a leading producer of meat and dairy products. If you order a latte or cappuccino in your favorite café here in the Philippines, there's a high probability the milk used comes from Poland. Thanks to the strong collaboration between our respective institutions, Polish poultry, pork, and beef have received accreditation for your market. But the choice of supplier is yours. Diversification is essential for true food security, and we recognize the importance of having multiple partners. This is a principle that President Marcos Jr.'s administration clearly understands as it forges partnerships with many countries, including Poland," she continued.

"Beyond defense and agriculture, new avenues of collaboration are opening up. In early December, a delegation from the Polish Space Agency will visit Manila to conduct discussions with Philsa aimed at exploring potential joint projects in this advanced field. There are many other areas of cooperation that I could mention, but I promised myself to keep this speech as brief as possible," she conveyed.

"Coming close to the end of this brief address, I'd like to share a sentiment expressed by Minister Sikorski. While we were waiting in the VIP lounge before his departure, I asked him about his impressions of the visit. His response was immediate: 'I should have come sooner!' This reflects the sentiments of many Polish visitors who are impressed by the Philippines and its people. Your openness, friendliness, creativity, and sincerity make Poles feel at home. Those who come here once often return to continue projects and collaboration. Each encounter strengthens trust and deepens our mutual understanding. I am confident that by working together, we can continue to enhance our economies and enrich our respective cultures," she related.

She then addressed her compatriots in Polish, and raised a toast after.

"To the good health and well-being of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.! To the prosperity and happiness of all the Filipino people! Mabuhay! Salamat po!" she concluded.

Narodowe Święto Niepodległości

Diplomatic relations between Poland and the Philippines were formally established on Sept. 22, 1973.

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Manila was operating in the years 1981 to 1982 and 1991 to 1993. It was reopened on Jan. 2, 2018.

The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Warsaw was operating in the years 1991 to 1995, and it was reopend in 2009.

The most important high level visits in the history of bilateral relations have been the visit of Prime Minister Marek Belka in Manila on July 2005, the visit in Poland of then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in June 2000 and the visit in Manila of the delegation of the Sejm of the Third Polish Republic headed by Marshal Józef Oleksy in December 2004.

Political dialogue was also maintained at the level of the foreign affairs ministers.

In 1996, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr. paid a visit in Poland, Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs revisited the Philippines in 1997.

In 2006, Polish National Defense Minister Radosław Sikorski paid a visit to the Philippines.

In 2008, working visits in Poland were paid by Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo and Undersecretary Enrique Manalo.

In December 2014, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario visited Poland.

Polish and Philippine parliaments maintain cooperative relations as well.

In October 2004, the Philippine Senate Speaker paid a visit in Poland; and in 2005, a visit of the Senate of the Republic of Poland took place including the Vice Marshal of the Senate Ryszard Jarzembowski.

In September 2012 and August 2014, Sejm Vice Marshal Jerzy Wenderlich paid a visit to the Philippines with his delegation.

In October 2018, a delegation of the Philippine House of Representatives visited Poland, headed by Deputy Speaker Mylene Garcia-Albano; and in January 2019, a visit of the delegation of the Polish Sejm with the Polish-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Bozenna Bukiewicz paid a visit to the Philippines.

Economic cooperation

Trade cooperation between Poland and the Philippines is dominated by industrial products (parts for water steam turbines, rotors, helicopter parts) and food (poultry, dairy, including powder milk), and import is dominated by electronics.

Polish investments in the Philippines include hotel and tourist agency, property of Salamanca Holding, call center and consulting company Cinnovation, Lingaro IT-BPM center and Pietrucha Group vinyl sheet piles factory.

Most important Philippine investments in Poland are International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) investment in Baltic Container Terminal in Gdynia and ISOC Group investments in real estate in Katowice and Krakow.

As Charge d'affaires Krzak-Danel said, by working together growth in the bilateral relations between Poland and the Philippines continue to enhance both economies and enrich the Polish and Filipino cultures.