MANILA, April 21 -- Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani's state visit to the Philippines will serve as a "springboard" for the elevation of ties between the four-decade-old partners, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

DFA Assistant Secretary for Middle East Affairs Mardomel Celo Melicor said the Philippines and Qatar already enjoy "cordial and vibrant" bilateral relations.

He said the state visit on Sunday and Monday can ramp up trade, investment, food security and tourism cooperation, among others.

For more than four decades, the two countries successfully established productive partnerships in the field of labor and development.

Enhanced socio-economic and cultural collaborations are also being actively pursued, M...