Despite it being a short one, President Marcos described his recent trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) as successful and productive as he highlighted the gains of his visit, particularly the $120-million investment deal he secured.

Marcos said this as he arrived in Manila on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 21, after participating in the inaugural Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN-GCC) Summit in Riyadh. He left Manila for the Summit on Oct. 19.

In his arrival statement, the President assured Filipinos that he would continue to advance the country's interests in his overseas trips.

"I have arrived back from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after a very short, but I can say successful and productive visit," he said.

"Let me assure you that we will continue to advance our national interest as we further expand our partnerships abroad," he added.

According to Marcos, he promoted the Philippines as a dynamic environment for business prospects and established a deeper relationship with the Arab country.

He likewise reaffirmed his Administration's commitment to advancing the country's priorities in the region. Marcos underscored the need for cooperation in food and energy security, logistics and supply chains, digital transformation, and the free flow of goods.

Recognizing that the Middle East hosts 2 million hardworking Filipinos, President Marcos said he called for safeguarding their rights and welfare and their upskilling.

The President then thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its "invaluable contributions" to the Philippines, lauding that the relationship between the two countries is now a "two-way street" after the KSA government expressed willingness to explore the Philippines as a business destination.

Meanwhile, Marcos urged his fellow leaders from the two blocs to uphold a rules-based international order to ensure harmony for the rest of the world, especially with the war between Israeli forces and the Hamas militants.