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MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is on a three-day state visit to Malaysia, aiming to identify new opportunities in the Halal industry while also reinforcing partnerships in agriculture and the digital economy.
This marks Marcos’ 14th overseas trip since taking office, and he views it as an opportune time to strengthen the relationship between the Philippines and Malaysia. The visit will focus on revitalizing cooperation in agriculture, food security, digital economy, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges, while also exploring avenues for collaboration in the Halal industry and Islamic banking. Malaysia’s prominent position in the Halal industry makes it an attractive partner for the Philippines to tap into this market, especially as Malaysia was the 10th biggest trading partner of the Philippines in 2022.
The invitation for the visit came from Malaysian King Al-Sultan Abdullah, and during his stay, Marcos is scheduled to meet with the King and Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The leaders had previously met in March when Prime Minister Anwar visited the Philippines, and they agreed to strengthen political and security cooperation between the two nations.
Apart from meeting with government officials, President Marcos will also engage with business leaders and the Filipino community in Malaysia. His entourage includes First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, several Cabinet secretaries, and Filipino businessmen.
During his first year in office, President Marcos undertook 13 overseas trips, generating significant investment pledges amounting to P3.9 trillion, which have the potential to create around 175,000 jobs.
