MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leaves for Melbourne, Australia today, Sunday to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.

The President said the summit is an opportunity for the Philippines to reiterate the country’s position on regional and international issues, as he thanked the Australian government for its support for the rule of law.

In his departure statement, President Marcos said he will be leaving for Melbourne for the Special Summit, commemorating the 50 years of ASEAN-Australia Relations upon the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

“As the first ASEAN Leaders’ level engagement for the year, the Summit presents an opportunity to reiterate the Philippines’ national positions on regional and international issues and set the tone for ASEAN’s Dialogue Partner Summits later in the year,” President Marcos said.

“The Summit will be an opportunity for the Philippines to thank Australia, ASEAN’s oldest Dialogue Partner, for its unwavering support for the rule of law, for the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award, through timely statements of support as well as through capacity-building and academic initiatives to mainstream appreciation of international law,” he added.

President Marcos said there will be two main engagements in the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, including the “Leaders’ Plenary” and the “Leaders’ Retreat.”

The President said the Philippines will take stock of ASEAN-Australia cooperation and cooperation and propose ways forward to further bolster relations during the “Leaders’ Plenary” while the country will exchange candid views on key issues affecting the region, and the world during the “Leaders’ Retreat.”

On the sidelines of the Summit, President Marcos said he will hold bilateral meetings with Prime Ministers of Cambodia and New Zealand to further strengthen the countries cooperation, and meet with the Filipino community in Melbourne and promote Philippine business through the Philippine Business Forum led by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The President said he is also looking forward to the launching of the expansion of the Victoria International Container Terminal (VICT), Australia’s first fully automated container terminal.

President Marcos will also deliver a keynote speech at the Lowy Institute where he will highlight the Philippines’ role as an active participant in world affairs and a contributor to the rules-based regional security architecture.

Before concluding his speech, President Marcos assured his administration will continue to ensure that the Philippines’ constructive engagements with ASEAN and stakeholders will best serve the country’s national interest, promote region’s peace, stability, security and prosperity for the well-being of the Filipino people and the region.

Philippines and Australia established its formal diplomatic relations in July 4, 1946.

Australia is a second home to around 408,000 Filipinos and Australian of Filipino descent. Most of them work in crafts and related; professionals; services and sales workers; skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers; technicians and associate professionals; and managers, among others.

In 2023, OFW remittances from Australia amounted to USD 301.2 million. (PND)