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FMJ off today to Brunei, Singapore
By Nidz Godino
“State visit is  signal of our vibrant relations as both countries conducted joint commission for bilateral cooperation chaired by  DFA last year,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Aileen Mendiola-Rau said. President Ferdinand  Marcos Jr. leaves for Brunei and Singapore today, his 26th and 27th foreign trip since assuming office in 2022.
Marcos begins today his two-day visit to Brunei , his first to be highlighted by meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
At press briefing recently Mendiola-Rau said discussions between two heads of state would focus on economic cooperation, noting that Brunei is “powerhouse” in energy.
From Brunei, Marcos will fly to Singapore to deliver keynote address at the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue 2024, first Philippine president to do so.
Philippines and Brunei are also working on several memoranda of understanding in priority areas like agriculture, food security, maritime cooperation and tourism.
Rau said 40-year-old relationship between Philippines and Brunei is multifaceted, covering cooperation in defense and security, maritime, agriculture, trade and people-to-people relations.
“This state visit will provide avenue for both leaders to take stock of progress of our commitments and ongoing bilateral undertakings, and fine-tune them accordingly,” she added.
Marcos will also meet with Filipino community and attend business forum, where he is expected to push for stronger trade ties between Philippines and Brunei, both members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area.
“Aside from being part of tradition of ASEAN leaders visiting fellow ASEAN countries, this state visit is in line with President’s commitment to continue exploring avenues for economic growth and job opportunities for Filipinos as business forum is aimed to boost trade and investments into the country,” Rau said.
There are more than 25,000 Filipinos in Brunei.
During his working visit to Singapore, Marcos will deliver keynote address at 21st Edition of Shangri-La Dialogue, annual inter-governmental security forum started in 2002.
Forum would be held against backdrop of tensions in South China Sea sparked by China’s acts of aggression threaten regional stability and freedom of navigation. China, whose expansive maritime claim in South China Sea was invalidated by international arbitral court in 2016, is expected to send representatives to the event.
Some 500 participants from 40 countries are expected to participate in the forum.
“Dialogue will provide good platform for defense ministers, military chiefs, government officials and security experts around the world to discuss and address regional and global security challenges, when you have forum such as this, it gives good platform for country to actually expound and articulate its position on key issues…so, it will be important platform for us to actually also convey our positions relative to what is happening within the region and what we are advocating for,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said.
Marcos will also meet with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and former prime minister and now Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on sidelines of forum.
Rau said Marcos’ meeting with Singaporean leaders comes at “very auspicious juncture,” noting two countries are commemorating 55 years of diplomatic relations.
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