Marcos bids farewell to retiring Italian Ambassador Clemente

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. bid Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Marco Clemente well wishes during the latter's farewell call on Malacañang on Tuesday.

According to a statement on Tuesday, Marcos said that he always feels sad when diplomats leave the country as he feels like a friendship was forged between them.

“We are happy for the time that you were able to spend here… Especially considering how important Italy is to the Philippines, considering that one of the first European countries who were really—there was a large immigrant population from the Philippines, working population, OFWs, was Italy,” said Marcos.

Clemente thanked Marcos and the government for their warm welcome during his three-year tenure and said that he chose to end his career in the Philippines.

“I did something which for me was a sign of love for this country. I did something, which is very unusual for my colleagues, I decided to end a career here. Normally, people go back to the ministry to stay there for some months,” said Clemente.

Clemente became the Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Philippines in 2021. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News