MANILA (September 7) – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. departed for Phnom Penh on Sunday for a state visit aimed at strengthening Philippine–Cambodian trade relations, boosting cooperation against transnational crime, and securing support for the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.
The President’s plane took off from Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at 1:44 p.m., with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and key Cabinet officials on board. The visit was made at the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni.
During the trip, Marcos is scheduled to meet with Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet, engage Filipino and Cambodian business leaders to expand trade and investment ties, and address the Filipino community in Phnom Penh.
In his pre-departure statement, Marcos said the visit builds on Prime Minister Hun Manet’s trip to Manila in February and will open opportunities to diversify cooperation in defense, agriculture, commerce, and heritage preservation.
“Through intensified defense and security cooperation with Cambodia, we hope to uphold a peaceful, stable, and resilient ASEAN community,” Marcos said.
He also highlighted the centuries-old friendship between the Philippines and Cambodia, noting the presence of around 7,500 overseas Filipinos in the country and the government’s scholarship support for Cambodian students in science and technology.
The visit is the first by a Philippine president to Cambodia in nearly nine years, reaffirming Manila’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and its vision for a progressive and inclusive region.
While Marcos is abroad, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III were designated as government caretakers.
