The push to open more direct air routes between Russia and the Philippines has drawn firm endorsement from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who framed expanded connectivity as a way to deepen ties beyond commerce.
Speaking to reporters in Kazan, Russia on Thursday, Marcos was asked whether his government would get behind plans for additional Russian carriers to operate flights into the Philippines’ leading tourist hubs. “Certainly, yeah. Very strong. Yes. Absolutely,” he replied.
He went on to stress that the benefits would not be confined to the travel sector. “But you know, we’re not only talking about tourism. Of course, it’s an important part that we would like many more to – both ways for more Filipinos to go to see Russia, for more Russians to come and visit the Philippines,” Marcos said.
The president pointed to arrangements already running between the two countries. According to the Philippine News Agency, Marcos cited the chartered service flown by Siberian carrier IrAero from Irkutsk and Khabarovsk to Kalibo, Aklan, which began in October 2025. He also noted that Cebu Pacific is weighing whether to add its own routes to Russia, the agency reported.
Interest from Russian operators has been building. The Inquirer reported that Philippine Ambassador to Russia Igor Garlit Bailen said carriers are awaiting clearance from the country’s Civil Aeronautics Board, with S7 Siberian Airlines having applied to fly from Irkutsk, Vladivostok and Khabarovsk into Manila and Cebu. Bailen has identified Boracay and El Nido as the destinations drawing the most attention from Russian travelers.
Bailen also argued that the Russian market is worth courting on economic grounds, telling Palace officials that Russians tend to outspend visitors from other countries based on available tourism data. He described the segment as a non-traditional source still to be tapped, given that most arrivals currently come from China, South Korea and the United States, according to the Inquirer.
The remarks came during Marcos’ working visit to Kazan for the 35th ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit, which he co-chaired with President Vladimir Putin. The trip marked his first to Russia and fell 50 years after his father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., traveled to the Soviet Union in 1976 to establish diplomatic relations between the two capitals.
