ZURICH, Switzerland — Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair thought President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. attended the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the right time as he could send the world a good signal as to where the country was going.
Blair said this during his meeting with Marcos on the sidelines of the 2023 WEF in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, Jan. 17.
In a statement, Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said Blair thought it was the best time for Marcos to be at the WEF as he could showcase what was happening in the Philippines while building its stature, noting that the country was not in quite a good standing in 2022.
"So to have somebody to come and articulate very clearly where the country is going, what it's doing. I think it sends a good signal," he reportedly said.
"There should be some kind of stability, consistency, whichever way you're going. So in terms of policy from the political end, I think it's important," he added.
In response, President Marcos said consistency was important, especially when dealing with businesses, stressing that investors need to know the conditions on the ground so they can draw up their plans.
Blair is a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and is the current Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute For Global Change. According to its website, the institute helps political leaders "build open, inclusive and prosperous societies in an increasingly interconnected world" by "shaping the debate and offering expert advice."
Aside from discussing the WEF, both leaders tackled the Philippines' development plan, which Marcos said is aimed at economic development and the country's social upliftment after the pandemic.
The President noted that the development plan would aid the Philippines as it prepares for the opening of the global economy.
The Philippines' development plan focuses on digitalization, logistics, infrastructure development, energy, tourism, and food security.
This is the third time that President Marcos and former British Prime Minister Blair met. They first met in New York City last year when Marcos attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). There, the President said they "explored concrete ways" to address priority issues in the global economy, such as food security, climate action, and trade.
The two leaders also tackled the optimistic peace process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Blair paid a courtesy call to President Marcos in Malacañang in October last year, where they discussed a wide range of topics on bureaucracy and governance based on the best practices in developed countries.