MANILA, Philippines – Nag-uwi si Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ng limang business agreements at tatlong government-to-government deals sa Pilipinas mula sa kanyang three-day state visit sa Cambodia.
Layon nito na palakasin ang economic at bilateral relations sa pagitan ng Maynila at Phnom Penh.
Sa kanyang arrival message sa pagbabaik sa Pilipinas, iniulat ng Pangulo ang kanyang “productive” engagements sa Cambodian leaders at top businesses, na sumentro sa pakikipagtulungan sa hinaharap at pagtutulungan sa mga mahahalagang larangan.
“I have returned from my state visit to Cambodia where I had a constructive exchange with, among others, Acting Head of State and Senate President Hun Sen on advancing our bilateral relations across key sectors and fora. I also met with Prime Minister Hun Manet, and we underscored the mutual regard that we place on our close bilateral and multilateral cooperation,”ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos.
“We had a productive engagement with the top businesses in Cambodia together with our official business delegation, where our discussions focused on our complementary strengths and how both sides can offer each other unique opportunities for growth and for market diversification,” aniya pa rin.
Ani Pangulong Marcos, ang talakayan sa naging pagpupulong kasama ang business community ay nagtapos sa strategic partnerships, minarkahan sa pamamagitan ng paglagda sa limang business agreements na nakatuon sa mga sektor gaya ng ‘aviation, logistics, at women-led micro, small and medium enterprises.’
Sinabi pa niya na ang business deals ay magbibigay daan para saliksikin ang market opportunities para sa Philippine exports ng mga produkto at serbisyo at maging para pangalagaan ang institutional partnerships para sa business associations ng dalawang bansa.
“In our efforts to strengthen our respective economies and that of our region, we highlighted our collective interest to bolster intra-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) trade through enhancing market access,” ayon kay Pangulong Marcos.
“As ASEAN remains one of the most economically dynamic regions in the world, and its middle class continues to strengthen, we have seen intense travel and exchanges among our people. We need to enable and strengthen the nodes of connectivity to support the further development of the ASEAN community,” aniya pa rin.
Taong 2024, ang kabuuang kalakalan sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Cambodia ay umabot sa USD105.69 million.
Ang tatlong mahahalagang kasunduan na tinintahan sa pagitan ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas at Cambodia, saklaw ang ‘covering police cooperation, higher education, at air connectivity.’
“While we open doors for tourism and cultural exchanges and reap the benefits of regional integration, we also recognize the emerging security threats in our region. In this regard, we affirmed our determination to fight criminal elements that misuse technology and exploit our peoples,” ang winika ni Pangulong Marcos.
Binigyang diin naman ni Pangulong Marcos na hangad ng dalawang bansa ang “more responsive” na kolaborasyon para tugunan ang paiba-ibang security challenges na kinahaharap ng rehiyon.
Aniya, napagkasunduan ng Maynila at Phnom Penh na “work extensively” para mapigilan ang illegal recruitment at human trafficking.
“I also took the opportunity to express my appreciation for Cambodia’s support for the Philippines’ bid for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council and for the Philippines’ ASEAN chairship in 2026,” ayon sa Pangulo.
“Any visit, of course, would not be complete without honoring the valued contributions of our hardworking, talented, and dedicated Filipino Community in Cambodia. And we had a very warm and friendly visit with them in Phnom Penh. I shared with them the current developments in the Philippines to uplift the quality of life for every Filipino,” lahad nito. (KRIS JOSE)
