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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcos honors outgoing Hungarian, Dutch envoys for boosting Philippine ties

Marcos honors outgoing Hungarian, Dutch envoys for boosting Philippine ties

Published Jul 31, 2026 09:23 am

At A Glance

  • President Marcos conferred the Order of Sikatuna on the outgoing ambassadors of Hungary and the Netherlands during separate farewell calls in Malacañang.
  • Marcos credited both envoys for strengthening bilateral cooperation with the Philippines during their respective tours of duty.
  • The Palace said the two countries remain important Philippine partners in trade, diplomacy, maritime cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. confers the Order of Sikatuna on outgoing Hungarian Ambassador Titanilla Tóth during her farewell call at Malacañang on July 29, 2026 (left), and meets with outgoing Dutch Ambassador Marielle Geraedts during a separate farewell call on the same day (right). Marcos thanked both envoys for their contributions to strengthening the Philippines' bilateral relations with Hungary and the Netherlands. (PCO)
President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. confers the Order of Sikatuna on outgoing Hungarian Ambassador Titanilla Tóth during her farewell call at Malacañang on July 29, 2026 (left), and meets with outgoing Dutch Ambassador Marielle Geraedts during a separate farewell call on the same day (right). Marcos thanked both envoys for their contributions to strengthening the Philippines' bilateral relations with Hungary and the Netherlands. (PCO)

President Marcos has honored the outgoing ambassadors of Hungary and the Netherlands, recognizing their contributions to strengthening their respective countries' relations with the Philippines during separate farewell calls in Malacañang on July 29.

The President conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross (Datu), Silver Distinction, on Hungarian Ambassador Titanilla Tóth in recognition of her role in expanding bilateral cooperation between Manila and Budapest.

"It's always a little bit sad to see you go. But thank you for everything that you have done," Marcos told Tóth as he thanked her for her service.

"I know that you have made many, many friends over us. You have many, many reasons to come visit us again," he added.

According to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Tóth was recognized for promoting high-level exchanges and parliamentary cooperation, expanding trade and investment, advancing collaboration in science and technology, supporting the signing of a memorandum of understanding on climate change cooperation, strengthening labor ties, and encouraging sports exchanges through the training of Filipino athletes in Hungary.

The Philippines and Hungary established diplomatic relations in 1973, with bilateral trade reaching $176 million in 2025. An estimated 16,100 Filipinos were living and working in Hungary as of February 2026.

During a separate farewell call, Marcos also expressed appreciation to outgoing Dutch Ambassador Marielle Geraedts for helping deepen relations between the Philippines and the Netherlands.

"I'm glad that you will remember the Philippines that way. But not only was it fun, but there was a great deal of progress in our relations," Marcos told Geraedts.

"It's always been important to us to have our continued partnership in the discussions that we have had. We appreciate your support for our progression and your support for the progress that we have made," he added.

The PCO said Geraedts' tour of duty saw several key bilateral milestones, including the May 2024 visit of Queen Máxima of the Netherlands to the Philippines as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, the May 2026 official visit of the Philippine foreign affairs secretary to the Netherlands, and the first Manila port call of the Dutch frigate HNLMS De Ruyter, which underscored support for freedom of navigation in the West Philippine Sea.

The Palace also cited expanded maritime cooperation between the two countries, including partnerships on the law of the sea and co-hosting a ministerial meeting on maritime security on the sidelines of the 2025 United Nations General Assembly.

The Philippines and the Netherlands established diplomatic relations in 1951, with total bilateral trade reaching US$4.09 billion in 2025, while nearly 23,000 Filipinos were living in the European country as of June 2025.

Related Tags

President Marcos Bongbong Marcos Ph-Netherlands Order of Sikatuna PH-Hungary
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