Mga minamahal kong kababayan,

Good morning po at magandang umaga.

Hatid ko po ang pasalubong na magandang balita para sa inyong lahat pagkatapos ng aking State Visit sa Brunei Darussalam at ‘yung aking Working Visit sa Singapore. It is my inaugural State Visit to Brunei Darussalam, an ASEAN neighbor, and this is the first time that a Philippine leader will deliver the Keynote Speech at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Both visits were productive and engaging.

I met with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah and comprehensively discussed the state of our overall bilateral ties. This year marks 40 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries and our conversation covered many facets of our relations, from defense and security, maritime cooperation, economic cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.

We aspired for stronger bilateral cooperation and to work together to ensure that peace and security reigns in the ASEAN region.

The visit was a success as we signed three Memoranda of Understanding [and] one Letter of Intent. The three MOUs signed during the visit [are] on Tourism Cooperation; on International Convention [on] Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers; and on Maritime Cooperation.

The MOU on Tourism Cooperation will provide our respective tourism agencies a definite roadmap to ensure a sustainable and continuous stream of tourists who will be attracted to visit and to explore each other’s countries.

Through the MOU on STCW, our overseas Filipino Seafarers who were issued Philippine national certificates are now recognized in Brunei.

Finally, the signing of the MOU on Maritime Cooperation provides Brunei and the Philippines a good foundation for maritime activities to be undertaken jointly.

Our respective agencies have also signed a Letter of Intent on Agricultural Cooperation which will serve as a precursor for further cooperation in ensuring food security between our two countries.

In addition to these successes on the bilateral front, we also further assured Brunei that it can count on the Philippines’ support on regional affairs as we stated our clear position for Brunei to establish the ASEAN Center for Climate Change. While in Brunei, our key government players and business sectors engaged in productive dialogue with their counterparts.

The Philippine Business Forum highlighted agribusiness, renewable energy, halal development, and opportunities in the BIMP-EAGA and BARMM.

The forum, attended by 200 representatives from diverse Bruneian business sectors, explored collaborative opportunities and showcased the Philippines’ potential as a significant player in the BIMP-EAGA region.

The established linkages between the Philippine and Brunei business sectors are expected to yield significant commercial benefits, including increased trade and investment opportunities, enhanced market access for goods and services, and the sharing of technological innovations and best practices.

The meeting with the energy sector was attended by executives from oil and gas companies such as Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sendiran Berhad, Brunei LNG Sendiran Berhad, Total Energies in Brunei, Serikandi Oilfield Services Sendiran Berhad, and the Adinin Group of Companies.

Through this engagement, we learned that Brunei is actively exploring [the] renewable energy sector opportunities by establishing interconnections with neighboring countries. I shared that likewise, the Philippines is also attempting to increase the share of renewable energy on top of the current oil and gas energy mix with the help of existing legislation, such as the Renewable [Energy] Act of 2008.

We assured Bruneian businessmen that [the] Philippine government is committed to encourage foreign investors and players in the renewable sector and, in the process, continue to boost our country’s trajectory [of] economic, sustainable, and inclusive growth.

Mga kababayan, we will continue to work to realize our dream of being a high-income economy by 2040.

While we are on the topic of jobs, I also met with the Filipino Community in the Sultanate. Through the years they have spent [there], they have proven to be an invaluable part of the economy of the Sultanate. During our engagement, I assured them of my administration’s tireless endeavors and projects in ensuring their safety and well-being.

Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Makakasiguro po kayo na [ipatutupad] ko ang aking pangako. And in the near future, there will be abundant jobs in the country so that overseas employment will become a choice [and] not a necessity.

In Singapore, I met with the leaders of the country, namely President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and newly appointed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The deep bonds of friendship between our countries are evident in all our conversations.

The President has already graced our invitation for him to visit and is planning a visit to our country in August. And the Prime Minister, he says, he will follow as quickly as he can. And this is very important as most especially 2024 marks 55 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. We committed to work hard in pursuing the signing of three near completion MOUs by the time the Singaporean President visits Manila later this year.

Most importantly, the visit also offered us an opportunity to tell the region and the world the Philippines outlook on our vision for the region. I delivered the 2024 Keynote Address at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue where I expounded the realities and [constants] that we now as active players in the region, face.

Mga kababayan,

As a responsible member of the international community, I took the opportunity of the Shangri-La Dialogue to tell the representatives of at least 48 countries in front of me that the lines we draw on our waters are derived not from imagination, but from international law. Unlike others, we submitted our assertions to rigorous legal scrutiny by the world’s leading jurists.

Besides the Keynote Speech, the Shangri-La Dialogue also allowed us to meet with other countries who are interested in the Philippines’ cause. I met with representatives from Lithuania and some of the members of the U.S. Congressional Delegation and discussed future ways to improve collaboration and cooperation between our countries.

My promise to all Filipinos, we will use every opportunity and continue to build bridges that will ensure a long lasting peace and stability in our region.

Marami pong salamat.

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