PH-Brunei accords on seafarers, ‘Muslim-friendly tourism’ signed

SULTAN’S GUESTS President Marcos and first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos are given arrival honors on Tuesday by their hosts, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Queen Saleha of Brunei, as Marcos began his two-day state visit. The President was in Brunei in January to attend the wedding of Bolkiah’s son, Prince Abdul Mateen. —Malacañang photo

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei — Following bilateral talks with the Sultan of Brunei on Tuesday morning, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnessed the signing of several agreements aimed at boosting the country’s maritime, tourism and agriculture sectors.

Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) certificates.

The agreement was in keeping with the 1978 STCW Convention governing the approval of seafarers entering any of the member countries.

READ: Marcos leaves for 2-day state visit to Brunei

Garafil said the deal would allow the two nations to recognize the certificates presented by their respective seafarers.

Both countries also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on skills training, research and information sharing between their maritime sectors.

Tourism, agriculture

Also sealed was an MOU on “cooperative tourism projects” with the aim of increasing tourist arrivals in the two countries.

It explores “niche tourism development, particularly in the area of Islamic tourism and the promotion of Muslim-friendly destinations,” Garafil added.

Marcos said that through the MOU, “we hope to entice and attract Bruneian tourists to explore the Philippines.”

For despite Brunei’s “relatively small population,” he said, “it is the quality of tourists and not the quantity that counts.”

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said 6,639 Bruneians visited the Philippines last year.

Having the new MOU would “bring significant advancements in tourism for both nations especially [since] it includes collaboration to expand … Muslim-friendly tourism,” she said.

The countries also signed a letter of intent to renew an MOU on food security and agricultural cooperation.

The President and first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos arrived at Bandar Seri Begawan on Tuesday morning for a two-day state visit.

His official delegation included Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, Presidential Adviser on Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Frasco and Garafil.

Marcos earlier visited Brunei in January to attend the royal wedding of the sultan’s son, Prince Abdul Mateen.

Constant helper

In the bilateral meeting, Marcos thanked the sultan for Brunei’s assistance to the Philippines over the years, like in the aftermath of Supertyphoons “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) in 2013 and “Odette” (Rai) in 2021, as well as during the coronavirus pandemic.

The President also underscored Brunei’s role in the Mindanao peace process.

Marcos recalled accompanying his father and namesake during the older Marcos’ state visit to the tiny but oil-rich state in February 1984, a month after it gained independence after 96 years as a British protectorate.

“The landscape of our region and of the world [since then] is changing in fundamental ways. The challenges brought by climate change, environmental degradation, and geopolitical tensions find it necessary for nation-states to cooperate more closely and more effectively,” Marcos said.

“I am therefore honored to discuss the state of our countries’ relations as well as exchange views on regional and international developments with the world’s longest-reigning current monarch and the longest-serving current head of state,” he added.

Naia ‘improvements’

Later on Tuesday, speaking to the Filipino community at Bridex International Convention Center, the President assured the audience that he would “focus on infrastructure development to allow for growth in far-flung municipalities.”

“We don’t want to see that development is only in Manila or in Luzon. Nobody should be left behind,” Marcos said. “So we go to the underdeveloped areas of the Philippines.’’

For would-be balikbayan, or those going home, “a new and upgraded” Ninoy Aquino International Airport would soon be ready for them, with “initial improvements (expected to) be felt next year.”

Next stop: Singapore

Marcos will next attend the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, a forum organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies where foreign and defense ministers from 40 participating nations are expected, including China.

His two-day working visit in Singapore is upon the invitation of then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down on May 15 after 20 years as head of the city-state.

Marcos said he would invite the new Singapore prime minister, Lawrence Wong, and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to visit Manila to further strengthen 55 years of diplomatic relations.