President Marcos will leave for Brunei Darussalam on Tuesday, May 28 for a state visit.
He will be in Brunei until May 29, and will be in Singapore until May 31.
It will be his first state visit in Brunei, where he is expected to have a bilateral meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and other officials of the Sultanate.
Marcos' visit, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), is in line with his commitment to continue exploring avenues for economic growth and job opportunities for Filipinos.
During his visit, several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) will be signed between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam. These range from agriculture to food security, maritime cooperation, and tourism.
The President will also attend a business forum where he will meet with top members of the business sector to promote trade and investment relations between the two countries. He will also meet the Filipino community to highlight the contribution of the over 20,000 Filipinos currently residing in Brunei.
Marcos’ visit to Brunei is upon the invitation of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and marks the 40th year of the establishment of the bilateral ties between the two countries.
Moreover, Marcos will be in Singapore until May 31 to deliver a keynote address at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue 2024, which, according to the DFA, will provide a good platform for defense ministers, military chiefs, government officials, and security experts to discuss and address regional and global security challenges.
While in Singapore, he will meet with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. He will also have a brief meeting with former prime minister and current senior minister Lee Hsien Loong.
The Chief Executive’s visit to Singapore is upon the invitation of former Singapore prime minister Lee, in time for the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the Philippines-Singapore diplomatic relations this year.
It will be Marcos' fourth time in Singapore and second visit in Brunei since becoming the Philippine President.