Israel's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Eliyahu Cohen, arrived in the Philippines on Sunday night to bolster ties of the two nations, particularly in the fields where Tel Aviv is expert of: agriculture, water, innovation and technology, and economy. Cohen will spend his first day in Manila with a bilateral talk with his counterpart, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo, the Israeli Embassy in the Philippines said. He is also expected to pay a courtesy call on President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and conduct meetings with National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Arsenio Molina Balisacan, the embassy added. According to the embassy, Cohen's two day visit will boost the historically friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines spanning for about 65 years now. Signing of various agreements, participation in meetings with the public and private sectors and boosting trade cooperation of the two nations are only among the other expected activities of the Israeli official. An Israel business delegation will join Cohen in some of his activities to connect with Filipino business companies, the embassy said. Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Flus said Cohen's visit "reassures that Israel is a friend and an ally of the Philippines. "And we see the relations flourishing further in the years to come," he added. His visit will also send a strong political and economic message, according to the embassy. That is the reciprocity to the visit of former president Rodrigo Duterte to Israel in 2018, which paved the way for the opening of the Israeli Defense and Economic Attaché offices in Manila, the signing of bilateral agreements on overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the expanding of defense cooperation.