PHILIPPINE maritime and business leaders have joined the local and international diplomatic corps in celebration of Norway's National Constitution Day on May 19, 2026, at the Museo del Galeon in Pasay City.
The Royal Norwegian Embassy in the Philippines hosted the event. It featured an indoor parade, a depiction of Norway's largest parade with children marching through the city center accompanied by brass bands and people lined in the streets waving flags and cheering.
Norway has the second oldest constitution in the world which was adopted in 1814, a pivotal moment in the nation's quest for independence.
During the Philippine celebration, maritime executives, businessmen, and diplomats marched around Museo del Galeon along with a brass band. At the center of the parade was the Galeon Espiritu Santo, a full-scale representation of a 17th-century ship built by Filipinos that sailed the galleon trade route.
The symbolic march emphasized not only the Norwegian heritage but the strong bilateral ties between Norway and the Philippines.
Both countries have strong bilateral relations owing traditionally to cooperation in the maritime sector. The cadetship program of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) under the Norwegian Training Center (NTC) in Manila pioneered world-class training opportunities for aspiring seafarers.
This established opportunities for Filipino mariners to be promoted as ship officers and command a full-Filipino maned European-flagged vessel. This initiative strengthened the Philippines’ position in the global shipping fleet as the “seafarer of choice” and one of the “largest supplier of seafarers in the world.”
In his speech, His Excellency Christian Halaas Lyster, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to the Philippines, said that over 60 percent of seafarers on the Norwegian fleet are Filipinos.
“For decades, Norway, especially NTC, has supported the development and upskilling of Filipino seafarers. We have worked together on initiatives to move the maritime sector to a more sustainable and greener future including rights of seafarers and promoting a more gender balanced sector,” Lyster said.
The Norwegian ambassador also stated that this year marks the 78th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Norway and the Philippines.
This has resulted to successful collaborations in different areas such as the Philippine-European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Free Trade Agreement, importation of Norwegian seafoods to the Philippines, and stronger activities and interest in renewable energy and circular economy.
The bilateral ties have also resulted in successful peace and reconciliation efforts, especially in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) where Norway served as a third party reconciliation facilitator.
Lyster disclosed that his post in the Philippines will soon end.
“Even if my tenure is coming to an end here in the Philippines, the maritime sector will always continue to be close to my heart,” the ambassador, who served for four years in the country, concluded.
