MARCOS FOREIGN TRIPS | DFA defends president’s frequent foreign travels

March 8, 2024 , 05:23 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(March 8, 2024) – The Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday defended the frequent trips abroad of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., saying the travels would benefit the Filipino people.

Maria Elena Algabre of the DFA’s Office of European Affairs said the foreign trips are not a waste of government expenses because these international engagements are done to push for economic cooperation with other countries to boost the economy.

“The president’s international engagements are, of course, in support of his development agenda – security and economic – that will redound to the benefits of our countrymen,” Algabre said.

Marcos is scheduled to leave for Germany and the Czech Republic next week, the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.

This marks his fifth and sixth foreign trips of the president this year alone. Last January, he had trips to Brunei and Vietnam. In his latest trips, he went to Australia twice.

Since he took office in 2022, Marcos has embarked on a total of 22 foreign trips to 15 countries, which has earned criticisms due to the cost of these visits.

The upcoming visit in Europe aims to “strengthen bilateral relations and foster increased cooperation with the two nations,” the Palace said.

The president also has plans to meet with the business leaders in the two European countries “to bolster trade and investment opportunities.”

Algabre said Marcos is expected to have exchanges with the leaders of Germany and Czech Republic, which has expressed support for the Philippines’ claims in the South China Sea, on ways to cooperate to promote an “open, inclusive, international rules-based order.”

The Philippines has been seeking stronger maritime security ties with like-minded countries as the country faces increasingly aggressive actions from China over the South China Sea dispute. Beijing claims nearly the entire waterway, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of its Southeast Asian neighbors, including the West Philippine Sea.

The Marcos government also seeks to expand and deepen economic cooperation with Berlin and Prague during his visit, Algabre said.

“For both, we will enhance labor cooperation,” she said. “You know very well that we have an agreement with Germany on health workers that has been in place – the triple win program – and now we are in discussions with them in the entry, also, of our Filipino countrymen in other professions and skilled work.”

(MM)

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