President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday welcomed Indonesia’s President-elect Prawobo Subianto in Manila, underscoring the long-standing relationship between the two nations and the importance of further strengthening diplomatic ties.
“It is a great pleasure to be able to welcome you, Your Excellency, Mr. President-elect Prawobo, to Manila on your visit as President-elect,” Mr. Marcos said during their meeting in Malacañang on Friday.
“I think it bodes well for our two countries that you have come to visit with the Philippines and shows that the growing relationship between our two countries has been at a very strong level for many, many years and many, many aspects of the people-to-people, on the political, on the diplomatic,” he added.
The visit comes ahead of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Indonesia, set to be marked in November. The President said this meeting would add momentum to already strong ties.
Prawobo, set to be inaugurated as Indonesia’s president on October 20, echoed Marcos’ sentiments and expressed gratitude for the warm reception.
“I would like to thank you for receiving me at short notice. I came here today to pay my respects because exactly one month from now, on the 20th of October, God willing, I will be inaugurated as President of the Republic of Indonesia,” Prawobo told Marcos.
“And perhaps it’s the Asian way, our custom, before we enter into a new position. We call on our friends… We have common roots, cultural and historical, and by the fact that we are very close neighbors, it behooves us, I think, to always support each other and to work together closely in all fields,” he added.
