The Philippines and Myanmar established diplomatic relations on 29 September 1956, followed by the opening of the Philippine Embassy in Yangon (then Rangoon) on 25 August 1958. The Myanmar Embassy in Manila, on the other hand, was opened in 1967.

The following headed the Philippines' diplomatic mission to Myanmar:

One of the most significant events in the bilateral relations between the Philippines and Myanmar was the exchange of visits by former President Fidel V. Ramos to Myanmar in 1997 and by Senior-General Than Shwe to the Philippines in 1998.

In April 2004, bilateral relations reached another high with the convening of the first meeting in Yangon of the Philippines-Myanmar Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC). Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Domingo Albert led the Philippine delegation to that meeting which agreed to expand Philippines-Myanmar relations in areas such as trade, investment, agriculture, forestry, tourism, culture, education, health, and air services.

In June 2006, the first Philippines-Myanmar Policy Consultations was held in Manila, followed by the visit of Secretary Alberto G. Romulo to Myanmar in August of the same year, and the second Philippines-Myanmar Policy Consultations in Myanmar's new capital of Nay Pyi Taw in July 2007.

On 25 May 2008, in the wake of the devastation wrought by Cyclone Nargis which killed thousands in Myanmar's Irrawaddy Delta, Senator Richard Gordon led a high-level Philippine delegation to the ASEAN-UN International Pledging Conference in Yangon. There the Philippines made a commitment to send a 30-man medical team, bringing with them medicines and relief goods, plus the use of a C-130 aircraft. The Philippines also pledged a US$50,000 cash donation. The total value of the Philippines' contribution to the relief effort amounted to US$350,000, excluding contributions of Philippine private companies and charitable organizations.