The Philippines will be the first Asian country to sign a social security agreement with Portugal that would enable Filipinos in the European country to receive their Portuguese social security benefits in the Philippines.

The agreement is expected to be signed in Manila in September.

According to the Philippine Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, the agreement for the proposed Philippines-Portugal Social Security Agreement has been finalized during the second round of negotiations in Lisbon last May 28.

The first round of negotiations was held in October 2009.

The draft Agreement "adopts the fundamental principles of international coordination of social security legislations, namely, equality of treatment, maintenance of the acquired rights, maintenance of the rights in the course of acquisition, export of benefits and mutual administrative cooperation between institutions, and covers, in general, the legislation of both countries on social protection against the contingencies of sickness and maternity, paternity, and adoption, invalidity, old-age and death, accidents at work, and occupational diseases."

The Philippines is the first Asian country to sign a social security agreement with Portugal.

The Philippines has signed social security agreements with other European Union (EU) countries like Austria, Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

There are at least 4,306 Filipinos living in Portugal based on government records.