Brunei Darussalam
May 28, 2024

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. engaged in a bilateral meeting with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah as he continued the first day of his State Visit to Brunei Darussalam.

In his opening remarks, the President expressed his gratitude to His Majesty for the gracious hospitality accorded to him and the Philippine delegation during his state visit.

He fondly recalled the time when he accompanied his father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, to Brunei in the early days of the two countries’ relationship, underscoring that the strong bond nurtured by the two nations was shaped in part by his father and how he witnessed this as a young man.

The Chief Executive highlighted the multiple times that Brunei Darussalam has come to the Philippines’ aid in times of natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, its significant role in the Mindanao peace process, amongst other things.

He cited the 40th anniversary of the Sultanate’s independence coinciding with the 40 years of the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam that has been nurtured my mutual trust and understanding between the two governments and their peoples.

The agenda of the expanded bilateral meeting included the state of the two countries’ bilateral relations, regional concerns, and international issues and developments such as climate change, environmental degradation and geo-political tensions.

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