Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro arrived in The Hague on Sunday for an official visit, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Netherlands, the first such visit by a Philippine foreign secretary in 33 years.
On Monday morning, the Philippine Embassy in The Hague announced via social media that Lazaro was greeted by Philippine Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya and the embassy staff.
“The Secretary’s visit is a milestone as it is the first Official Visit to the Netherlands of the Philippine Secretary of Foreign in the past 33 years,” the post read.
Lazaro will participate in various activities, including meetings with Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen and other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, engagements with international organizations in The Hague, and interactions with Filipino-Dutch business and community leaders.
“The Netherlands is an important economic partner of the Philippines, with the former being among the top 5 investor countries in the Philippines through the years, and often the number one among the 27-member European Union,” the statement added.
It is also the Philippines’ second-largest trading partner and export market in Europe, with bilateral trade increasing by about 10% annually.
The diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in May 1951.
Additionally, this year commemorates the 160 years of The Netherlands’ consular presence in the Philippines, which began when the first Dutch honorary consul was appointed in Manila in 1866.
