PRESIDENT President Marcos Jr. left yesterday for Belgium to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union (ASEAN-EU) Commemorative Summit, and hold meetings with European leaders and a number of businessmen.
In his departure speech, the President said the Philippines would push for priority issues such as post-pandemic economic recovery, trade, and maritime and climate actions.
“The standalone summit is celebrating 45 years of ASEAN-EU relations with in-depth discussions on the most relevant issues concerning both regional organizations such as global and regional security challenges, sustainable development, and economic cooperation amongst other things. This will be the first meeting between ASEAN and EU member states leaders at the EU headquarters and I am pleased to highlight the Philippines’ role as country coordinator for ASEAN in its dialogue relations with the EU,” he said.
The President left for the December 12 to 14 trip to Brussels with several Cabinet members and First Lady Liza Marcos. His attendance was on the invitation of European Council President Charles Michel.
Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte, who will head the caretaker committee of the Executive branch while Marcos is abroad, led the sendoff team at the Maharlika Hall at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
Marcos said that with the summit following the successful series of summits hosted by ASEAN Chair Cambodia last month, he looks forward to a productive and meaningful ASEAN-EU Summit.
He said he expects more in-depth discussions on the most relevant issues concerning both regional organizations, such as global and regional security challenges, sustainable development and economic cooperation, among other things.
The President said that as the country coordinator, the Philippines through him will address the C-Suite Luncheon and the 10th ASEAN-EU business summit which will serve as an opportunity to “drum up economic interests once again, and engagement for the Philippines in view of the presence of key business leaders in Europe at the event.”
Marcos said he will also call on King Philippe of Belgium and hold meetings with some of his counterparts in Europe while in Brussels. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the President is expected to have 10 bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ASEAN-EU summit which include meetings with the leaders of Belgium, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Finland, the Netherlands and the European Union.
He will also talk with members of the business community in a roundtable meeting and with corporations in one-on-one meetings, as he looks to expand the presence of foreign businesses in the Philippines.
Among those that Marcos will meet with are executives of Unilver, a multinational consumer goods company which plans to establish a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for personal care products in Cavite province. The investment is around P4.7 billion and is expected to generate at least 130 jobs.
The President is also expected to meet with a shipbuilding and navigation and logistics company that seeks to develop a shipyard with an investment of P1.5 billion, which will create 500 to 600 direct and indirect jobs; an infrastructure and renewable energy company, which intends to invest in the renewable energy sector in the Philippines; and a wholesale market and international logistics hub management company which intends to establish agro-logistics at the New Clark City that will build and operate a wholesale market for fresh products with an organized and efficient food supply and value chain.
He will also have a meeting with the Filipino community in Brussels and nearby countries.
This will be Marcos’ first trip to Europe and his seventh overseas as president.
Marcos went on a state visit to Indonesia from September 4 to 6, followed by another state visit to Singapore from September 6 to 7, and a trip to the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly from September 19 to 24.
Marcos returned to Singapore on October 4 to watch the resumption of the F1 Grand Prix and follow up on business agreements during his state visit and attended the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia from November 10 to 13, and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Thailand from November 16 to 19.
He is expected to go on a state visit to China in January.
