President Marcos is expected to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOU) on tourism cooperation and discuss several agreements with Brunei Darussalam as he left Manila on Tuesday for his back-to-back foreign trips.
In his departure speech, the President highlighted tourism as a vital economic driver for the Philippines, employing millions of Filipinos.
“We hope to entice and attract Bruneian tourists to explore the Philippines,” Mr. Marcos said of the MOU. The Philippines and Brunei would also have a dialogue on other key areas of cooperation such as security and investments.
The President would also meet with Brunei’s top business leaders during his visit to Bandar Seri Begawan to promote the country’s trade and investment deals.
“I will engage business communities in the Sultanate and highlight the Philippines as one of the fastest growing economies of Asia,” Mr. Marcos said.
“I look forward to securing investment that will generate more jobs, contribute to poverty alleviation, and accelerate the economic transformation of our country,” he added.
After Brunei, President Marcos will visit Singapore to deliver a keynote address at the 21st International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue, attended by leaders and defense ministers from around 40 countries.
“I think it is extremely timely that I attend and put forward and articulate the Philippines’ perspectives and outlook on defense and diplomacy while we continue to highlight the Philippines’ commitment to a rules-based international order and constructive multilateralism amidst the current geopolitical challenges that we face in our region,” he said.
President Marcos’ visit to Singapore will continue high-level exchanges between the two nations, which have maintained diplomatic relations since 1969.
He mentioned that he will seize the chance to invite Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to visit the Philippines as a testament to the growing bonds between the two nations.
