Marcos wants to expand partnerships with Brunei

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei - President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. expressed his intention to expand partnerships with Brunei on Tuesday.

During the bilateral meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at the Istana Nurul Iman, Marcos said he hoped the relations between the Philippines and Brunei would go beyond the deals signed during the state visit.

“And for that, we hope to expand the partnerships that we have begun, and we feel that there is much potential that we can examine,” Marcos said.

“I think the MOUs (memoranda of understanding) that are being signed today that we shall witness, Your Majesty, will be a very good start to once again re-energize, and I think the areas that we have talked about—that we have paid attention to for these MOUs—are certainly rich with potential,” he added.

Meanwhile, Bolkiah said the economic ties and people-to-people exchange between the Philippines and Brunei continue to strengthen, especially in ensuring mutually beneficial areas for the two countries.

“Your state visit today is customary for our two countries to continue the friendship and ties. That's clear as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations. I believe that we are commemorating this significant occasion through visits,” the Sultan said.

“I'm looking forward to further enhancing our friendship in areas of future interest, which I believe will greatly benefit our countries and people,” he added.

The diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Brunei were formalized on January 1, 1984. —VBL, GMA Integrated News