DAVAO CITY , Philippines– President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday morning headed to Brunei Darussalam for a two-day state visit, followed by a trip to Singapore for a defense summit.
Marcos will be in Brunei until Wednesday upon the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah. The visit coincides with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, adding significance to the bilateral discussions.
The President is expected to hold bilateral meetings with the Brunei Sultanate and visit the Filipino community there, which comprises approximately 20,000 Filipinos. In his departure speech, Marcos emphasized the importance of his meeting with Sultan Bolkiah to “review the progress of our bilateral cooperation and explore mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations.” Discussions will also include defense and regional security.
A significant outcome of the Brunei visit will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation, enhancing collaboration in this sector.
After concluding his visit to Brunei, President Marcos will proceed to Singapore from May 30 to 31 to attend the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue. This annual intergovernmental security forum, which includes defense and military officials, experts, and business leaders, addresses critical global security challenges. Marcos will be the first Filipino president to deliver a keynote address at the dialogue.
During his Singapore visit, Marcos plans to invite Singapore’s new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai and new President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to visit the Philippines, aiming to further strengthen bilateral relations.
In his address, President Marcos expressed his optimism: “I hope to return with good news from our visit to Brunei and Singapore.”
