MANILA -- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. left for his inaugural state visits to Indonesia and Singapore to bolster alliances and partnerships with the country’s Southeast Asian neighbors necessary for its post-pandemic recovery.

“So I leave to undertake my first State Visits to our immediate neighbors, Indonesia and Singapore. In other words, ako ay mangangapitbahay para sa ating bansa at para sa ating ekonomiya,” Marcos said in a departure statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 on Sunday.

The President’s first stop is Jakarta, where he will meet President Joko Widodo to discuss the two countries’ bilateral relationship and the changing global geopolitical environment.

The two leaders will also witness the signing of several agreements, particularly on defense and security, creative economy, and culture.

Specifically, among those that will be signed include the Philippines-Indonesia Plan of Action for the next five years, which commits both countries to projects and activities covering the full range of bilateral ties.

The President said he would seek partnership with Indonesia for investments in critical areas such as agriculture and energy, the administration’s major priorities.

As one of the Philippines’ bilateral partners for several decades, Marcos said the cultural ties and geographical affinities the nation enjoys have always been part of its relationship with Indonesia.

“We will reaffirm our ties with [a] fellow archipelagic nation and ASEAN co-founder, Indonesia, with whom we share an extensive maritime border in the south of the Philippines,” he said.

In his State Visit to Singapore from Sept. 6 to 7, the chief executive will meet both President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to renew the Philippines’ commitment in deepening bilateral relations, explore options for advancing economic ties, as well as discuss regional and global issues.

Marcos and Prime Minister Lee will also witness the signing of several agreements.

While in Singapore, the President said he would seek to harness the potential of the two nations’ vibrant trade and investment relations.

Singapore has become the Philippines’ top trading partner in Southeast Asia and the top source of approved investments in 2021.

Economic briefings, business forums, and meetings have been organized in Singapore to attract more investments and buyers for the country’s exports, aimed at accelerating its post-pandemic economic growth.

Also part of the President’s itinerary is meeting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Singapore, which is home to 200,000 Filipinos.

He said he wants to commend them for their contributions to the economies of both Singapore and the Philippines.

“I expect that we will be coming back with a harvest of business deals to be signed in my State Visits that will further strengthen our economic ties with both Indonesia and Singapore,” he said, adding that all the initiatives are in line with all of the priority areas of the administration.

These include agriculture, food security, energy, and long-term plans for the country’s emergence into the new global economy. (PND)