Mr. President, it is with great deal of pleasure and an honor to welcome you and your delegation to Manila and to the Palace.

Your Excellency’s official visit comes at a very opportune moment as we celebrate our 75 years of formal diplomatic ties in this coming November.

I furthermore would like to congratulate Indonesia for the successful hosting and excellent arrangements as chair of ASEAN last year. We hope to emulate your success once we assume the ASEAN chair in 2026.

It was over a year ago when I came to visit— on my inaugural state visit, my first state visit as President and I came to Indonesia, upon Your Excellency’s very kind invitation.

The success of that visit not only served as a testament to our continuing and flourishing bilateral ties, but it also enabled us to forge new partnerships and collaboration in new areas of cooperation like renewable energy, creative economy, infrastructure development, and other industrial development that have since that time a reason as opportunities for both our country.

Indonesia continues to be one of our closest friends and regional partners. Our many commonalities in geography, history, and culture have fostered deeper and more comprehensive engagements at various levels spanning defense and security, maritime operations, trade and investment, tourism, people-to-people exchanges, amongst many others, and I might add a strengthening government-to-government relationship.

As like-minded developing nations, the Philippines and Indonesia both aspire for the ASEAN to be— for ASEAN commonality that is peaceful, stable, and prosperous.

As neighbors, we must remain united in addressing the many challenges that our region now faces.

As you will soon conclude your second term as President of the Republic of Indonesia, I commend your visionary leadership and your strong commitment to promoting and enhancing the long-standing and close ties between the Philippines and Indonesia.

Terima kasih banyak. (Thank you very much).

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