Marcos sees ‘great deal of potential’ in PH-Hawaii trade

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is seeing a “great deal of potential” in trade between Hawaii and the Philippines. (File photo by WILLY KURNIAWAN / POOL / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said he sees strong promise in trade between Hawaii and the Philippines.

The Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu and the Honolulu City Council trade mission met with Marcos in a courtesy call in Malacañan Palace.

“I think there is a great deal of potential there, as there are so many similarities in terms of what are needed and what needs to be done in terms of the state of Hawaii and the Philippines and in specific areas of the Philippines,” Marcos said in his speech.

“I think we are presented with so many grand opportunities that we should, it behooves us to do our best, to try and explore those, to make those potentialities into reality,” he also said.

READ: Marcos waxes nostalgic in Hawaii

The President said that for the Philippines, trade is the way to move forward.

“We have always, we have come to a very clear principle that the only way forward in terms of the economy in the Philippines, and for that matter, for the rest of the world, is trade,” he noted.

Marcos and his family were exiled to Hawaii shortly after the 1986 People Power that overthrew his dictator father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

READ: Bongbong Marcos says his family will never forget experience in Hawaii

The President has repeatedly shown affection for the Filipino community in Hawaii, saying he would never forget the kindness they’d shown to him during his family’s exile.