The British Embassy Manila is part of a worldwide network covering 184 countries. We aim to promote Britain's interests and values and encourage cultural exchange between the Philippines and the United Kingdom.

The Embassy is the Philippine arm of the British Government as a whole, acting on a wide range of global issues from protecting the world's environment to combating the drugs trade, from scientific cooperation to law enforcement. We are responsible for promoting government-to-government links between the UK and the Philippines. It manages bilateral government co-operation (in areas such as economic reform, sustainable development and counter-terrorism), explains the British position on international issues, and builds support for UK policies and views in areas such as human rights, We play a vital role in providing political and economic analysis to support the work of our colleagues in international forums. Under our Bilateral Programme fund, we support small targetted projects with local partners which underpin the wider work of the Embassy and help deliver Embassy objectives. Under our Strategic Programme Fund, we support projects in the areas of economic reform, climate change and engaging with the Islamic world, partnering with government and not-for-profit organisations towards creating a better and more prosperous world.

In cooperation with the British Council, we also manage the Chevening scholarship programme, which affords deserving Filipinos the opportunity to study in the UK.

From January 2006, the British Embassy Manila took over from High Commission in Fiji responsibility for diplomatic relations with the Republic of Palau, the Marshall Island and the Federated States of Micronesia. We have one Honorary Consul in the Marshall Islands.

The promotion of investment to and from the United Kingdom is an important capacity. Eight frontline staff are devoted to commercial work and are part of a global network of over 2000 staff in 217 posts and in 140 markets dedicated to helping British companies seize valuable opportunities around the world. We work closely with the British Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines.

More and more British people are travelling to the Philippines each year. In 2007, there were 79,670 visitors from the UK, the highest among European countries.  In addition, an estimated 10,000 Britons live and work in the Philippines. It is a job of the Embassy to offer practical advice, assistance and support to British nationals who live or travel in the Philippines. We have three Honorary Consuls in Cebu, Angeles and Subic (Olongapo), along with a network of wardens spread throughout the Philippines who assist in the work from time to time and act as a channel of communication with the British community. The most common consular work performed in the Philippines is handling British passport applications, registering births and deaths, providing documents for those intending to marry in the Philippines and assisting those who have run out of money, have been arrested, hospitalised or have died.

The British Embassy also processes visa or entry clearance applications for people intending to visit, settle, work or study in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, and the UK Overseas Territories. Currently we process approximately 40,000 visa a year.