French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Boccoz has informed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of her government’s plan to create direct flights to the Philippines. (INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomes the efforts of the government of France to create direct flights from Paris to Manila, according to a Palace statement issued on Wednesday.
French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Boccoz told Marcos of his government’s plan to open the direct flight, along with a plan to strengthen scholarship programs in France for Filipino students.
“It is also something that we’re really promoting, to have more students in all areas in Science, in Engineering and Technologies and all of the areas because there’s so many gifted — very, very gifted people. And the young generation is so dynamic in this country and I’m sure there’ll be many, many opportunities to increase the relationship in all those areas, and to go to the next step of our relation,” Boccoz told Marcos.
“There are many things going on and one of them, I understand, we will have in the near future a direct flight from Manila to Paris and that’s also in progress,” Boccoz added.
In turn, Marcos said such developments are welcome.
“It is something new for our two countries to have these relationships now. I’m sure that there’s something that will grow rapidly within the next two years. Those are the things that I think we can merge. I think we can make a good start,” Marcos told Boccoz.
Bocoz also told Marcos that France appreciated the love and hospitality of Filipinos.
France is an important trade partner to the Philippines, as it is the Philippines’ fifth biggest agri-export partner in 2021, and the 18th trading partner from 2021 to 2022.