President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has reaffirmed his dedication to deepening bilateral relations with Cambodia and enhancing regional stability. During a bilateral meeting at Malacañang on Tuesday, President Marcos conveyed his strong desire to strengthen cooperation with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.
“Today, I hope to discuss how we can maximize our existing cooperation across diverse fields of mutual interest and explore new ways to collaborate while leveraging our growing economies, the dynamism of our people, and our unyielding commitment to regional peace and stability,” the President stated.
President Marcos emphasized the expanding diplomatic ties between the two nations, which will celebrate their 70th anniversary in two years. The Philippines and Cambodia established diplomatic relations on August 20, 1957, and currently have 24 bilateral agreements in place.
The President highlighted collaboration in key areas such as trade, tourism, defense, and the fight against transnational crime, all within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). He expressed particular enthusiasm about the engagement between business leaders from both countries in recent forums, which aims to forge new pathways and boost commercial ties.
“I am particularly elated that our respective business leaders have engaged with each other in recent business forums both here in the Philippines and in Cambodia to forge new pathways in spurring commercial ties between our two countries, for the benefit of us both,” he remarked.
President Marcos also extended his gratitude to King Norodom Sihamoni for granting a royal pardon to 13 Filipino surrogates and thanked the Cambodian government for its support. Currently, Cambodia is home to 7,497 Filipinos.
“We will never forget this act of magnanimity from His Majesty, a testament to the strong relations between our two countries. Rest assured we will continue to stand with you in the fight against transnational crimes and their adverse effects on our peoples and our communities,” he said.
Additionally, President Marcos expressed his eagerness to welcome more Cambodians to the Philippines as tourists, investors, business partners, and trusted friends.
Prime Minister Hun Manet is on his first official visit to the Philippines, which began on Monday and concluded yesterday at the invitation of President Marcos.
