President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed eight non-resident ambassadors to Malacañang on Thursday, as he accepted their letters of credence and expressed enthusiasm for expanding partnerships across a range of sectors.
The ambassadors included Galma Mukhe Boru (Kenya), Nicholas Panayiotou (Cyprus), Moussa Fanta Camara (Guinea), John S. Fritz (Federated States of Micronesia), Tomáš Ferko (Slovak Republic), Cristina González (Uruguay), Mauricio Mauro Epkua Obama Bindang (Equatorial Guinea), and Mario José Armengol Campos (Nicaragua).
The President emphasized that each ambassador represents an opportunity for collaboration with the Philippines in areas such as economic growth, trade, renewable energy, agriculture, technology, defense, climate action, and people-to-people exchanges.
In his exchange with Cyprus Ambassador Panayiotou, Marcos highlighted the shared potential for partnerships.
“There are many opportunities that we can explore, such as people-to-people relationships and future interactions,” he stated.
Mr. Marcos also thanked Panayiotou for expressing sympathy with Filipinos affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.
Panayiotou responded by voicing his optimism for cooperation on economic matters, investments, maritime affairs, and innovation.
The chief executive also welcomed Slovak Republic Ambassador Ferko, commending Slovakia’s willingness to deepen ties despite geographical distance.
Ferko pointed to growing trade figures and the potential for cooperation on military equipment and water management.
Uruguay’s Ambassador González underscored her commitment to boosting trade, citing the complementary nature of the two nations’ economies.
She expressed interest in working together on food security, climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy as the two countries approach 50 years of diplomatic ties in 2025.
“Uruguay is ready to be a partner of the Philippines,” González said.
In his discussion with Kenyan Ambassador Boru, Mr. Marcos expressed appreciation for Kenya’s condolences regarding recent typhoon impacts in the Philippines.
He noted the vast potential for Philippine-Kenyan collaboration, saying the possibility of exploring various key areas of cooperation.
