Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives in Malacañang to hold a bilateral meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, September 8. | PHOTO: Official facebook page of the Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will visit Australia as a Guest of the Australian Government from February 28 to 29, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said on Saturday.
Marcos is set to address and discuss with the Australian Parliament the vision for the Strategic Partnership between the Philippines and Australia signed last year.
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“The President will have separate meetings with Australian senior officials where he is anticipated to have constructive discussions on defense and security, trade, investments, people-to-people exchanges, multilateral cooperation, and regional issues,” the PCO said in a Facebook post.
There would also be the signing of new agreements “in areas of common interest” between the Philippines and Australia during Marcos’ stay in the foreign country.
The PCO said that two countries will celebrate their 78th anniversary of diplomatic relations in November this year.
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As of 2022, it said that there are 408,000 Filipinos and Australians with Filipino descent who live in the land down under, which makes them the fifth largest migrant community in the country.
Australia remains one of the two countries with which the Philippines has a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, it added.