Marcos: Brunei, Singapore visits were productive, engaging

SINGAPORE - President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Saturday described his state visit to Brunei and working visit to Singapore as productive and engaging.

Marcos arrived in Manila at 3:58 a.m. following his participation at the 2024 IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in which he spoke before representatives from at least 48 countries about the Philippines' push for international law.

''It is my inaugural State Visit to Brunei Darussalam, an ASEAN neighbor, and this is the first time that a Philippine leader will deliver the Keynote Speech at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Both visits were productive and engaging,'' Marcos said in his arrival statement.

In Brunei, Marcos said the two governments had aspired for stronger bilateral cooperation and to work together to ensure that peace and security reign in the ASEAN region.

For Marcos, the state visit was a success as Manila and Bandar Seri Begawan signed three Memoranda of Understanding and one Letter of Intent.

The three MOUs signed during the visit were on Tourism Cooperation, on International Convention [on] Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers; and on Maritime Cooperation.

A Letter of Intent on Agricultural Cooperation, which will serve as a precursor for further cooperation in ensuring food security between our two countries, was also inked during the state visit.

Meanwhile, in Singapore he met with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and newly appointed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as the two countries want to elevate deep bonds of friendship.

Further, Marcos said his working visit also provided the Philippine government the opportunity to tell the region and the world its outlook on the vision for the region.

''I delivered the 2024 Keynote Address at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue where I expounded the realities and [constants] that we now as active players in the region, face,'' Marcos said.

''My promise to all Filipinos, we will use every opportunity and continue to build bridges that will ensure a long lasting peace and stability in our region,'' he added. —KG, GMA Integrated News