A day after delivering his second State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is embarking on a state visit to Malaysia today, July 25, 2023.  The President, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), will be actively pushing for more cooperation in the fields of agriculture, tourism, and digital governance. “(The President) will pursue bilateral cooperation in priority areas that are in support of the economic agenda of the country,” said DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza. “There will be new areas that will be explored and this will include the halal industry and Islamic banking,” Accompanied by the First Lady, key Cabinet officials, and a business delegation, the President will stay in Malaysia until July 27. The visit’s schedule includes a royal audience with Malaysian King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Beyond political discussions, the economic aspect will also be part of the agenda, with the President keen on attracting more investments from Malaysian business leaders. “With the meeting with key Malaysia businessmen, this will hopefully generate investment pledges from Malaysian companies,” Daza said. “As expected, the Philippines will be actively promoted as an attractive trade, investment, and tourist destination.” On the part of Malaysia, the President’s state visit is an “avenue to further solidify the dynamic and already good relations between the two states.” Malaysian Ambassador Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino bin Anthony said Kuala Lumpur hopes to explore new areas of cooperation with Manila and bring the bilateral ties to greater heights. “We hope to touch on new areas of cooperation and further intensify areas that we think there is potential for both countries,” he said. “Aside from trade cooperation, investments, education, culture, (there will be discussions) on maritime security and defense cooperation.” It is worth noting that earlier this year, Ibrahim visited the Philippines, further enhancing bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Ibrahim was the first head of government to be received by the Marcos administration in Malacañan Palace. “As immediate neighbors, the Philippines and Malaysia recognize the importance of maintaining peace and security in our region. As such, we agreed to continue our cooperation on political and security matters, rekindling the joint commission meetings and joint initiatives to combat transnational crime and terrorism,” Marcos said at that time. The President also acknowledged that the shared historic roots between the two nations are deep, and our cultures enjoy natural affinity to one another. As such, he spoke of “further deepening people-to-people ties through continued cultural exchanges and tourism.” Both the Philippines and Malaysia are founding members of ASEAN and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Both have also committed to support development and peace-building initiatives within this group. This state visit by President Marcos also coincides with six decades of diplomatic partnership, presenting an opportune time to further address issues on geopolitical concerns and post-pandemic economic recovery.  While there may be differences between the two nations, the spirit of cooperation and shared passion ensures that Filipinos and Malaysians stand to benefit from this strengthened relationship.  May this state visit further unlock more opportunities for achieving regional peace and prosperity.