MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto on Friday agreed to continue strengthening the alliance between the Philippines and Indonesia, reaffirming their commitment to support each other and collaborate closely.
Prabowo, who is set to take over Joko Widodo as Indonesian president in October, paid a courtesy visit to Marcos in Malacañang.
In his remarks, Marcos said Prabowo’s visit showed the strength of Philippine and Indonesian ties, particularly on the people-to-people, political, and diplomatic front.
Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. meets with Indonesia’s President-elect Prabowo Subianto during a courtesy call at the Malacanang Palace on Sept. 20, 2024. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ/PPA POOL
“Well it is a great pleasure to be able to welcome you, Your Excellency, Mr. President-elect Prabowo, to Manila on your visit as President-elect. And I think it bodes well for our two countries that you have come to visit with the Philippines and shows that the growing relationship between our two countries has been at a very strong level for many many years and many many aspects of the people-to-people, on the political, on the diplomatic,” Marcos told Prabowo.
“We are about to celebrate our 75th year of relations this November and I think your visit here today will certainly bring a new impetus to making that relationship between Indonesia and the Philippines stronger and deeper,” he added.
Prabowo, for his part, stressed the need for the Philippines and Indonesia to support each other and collaborate closely, citing their shared cultural and historical roots.
“We have common roots, cultural, historical, and by the fact that we are very close neighbors, it behooves us, I think, to always support each other and to work together closely in all fields,” he said.
The Indonesian leader said his visit aimed “to reconfirm my commitment to strengthen the close relationship that we have traditionally between the Philippines and Indonesia.” “I would like to thank you for receiving me at short notice. I came here today to pay my respects because exactly one month from now, on the 20th of October, God willing, I will be inaugurated as President of the Republic of Indonesia,” Prabowo told Marcos.
“And perhaps it’s the Asian way, our custom, before we enter into a new position. We call on our friends and to reconfirm my commitment to strengthen the close relationship that we have traditionally between the Philippines and Indonesia,” he added.
The Philippines and Indonesia will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations this November.
Prabowo, Indonesia’s Defense minister and a former military general, has been officially confirmed by Indonesia’s Election Commission as having won the presidential elections held in February. He will formally assume the presidency on October 20.
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