The President returned today from a productive visit to Brunei Darussalam.

The President personally conveyed his warm greetings to His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei on the occasion of the golden anniversary of his accession to the throne.

The President also reaffirmed the long and enduring ties between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam and renewed the special friendship between the two countries.

The celebration was also an occasion to reaffirm ties with key leaders from within and outside of the region, including Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak.

The President has described His Majesty the Sultan as a friend of the Philippines in the truest and most profound sense of the word;  he also recognizes His Majesty the Sultan’s principled commitment to the pursuit of just and lasting peace and development in Mindanao, the well-being of Filipinos in Brunei Darussalam, and his unequalled efforts to bring the two countries closer to each other.

The President looks forward to further broaden and deepen bilateral cooperation with Brunei Darussalam, as well as to advancing efforts toward a more peaceful, prosperous and progressive ASEAN.

The celebrations were a fitting tribute to a  beloved Leader who made amity and cooperation a cornerstone of secure and stable relations between nations in Southeast Asia and beyond.