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President makes historic address to Parliament, to sign 3 deals
President Marcos will address the Parliament of Australia today—becoming the first Filipino leader to do so—and provide his vision to strengthen the two nations’ commitments and vision for the future.
The President arrived in Canberra on Wednesday and is expected to sign three agreements during his trip to the Australian capital and meet its leaders.
He is set to address the bicameral Parliament of the Commonwealth, made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives, at 10 a.m. local time (7 a.m. in Manila).
On board PR001, Mr. Marcos landed in Canberra at 7:20 p.m. (4:20 pm Manila time).
“As part of this visit, I will have the opportunity to address the Parliament of Australia and provide greater detail on the commitments that we place in this partnership and our vision for the future of the Philippines,” the President said in his departure speech yesterday.
“I will also have the opportunity to expand our wide-ranging cooperation with Australia through the formalization and signing of three agreements,” Mr. Marcos shared.
The President, however, did not disclose any details on the three agreements.
President Marcos asserted that his visit to Canberra serves as a reciprocal gesture following Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s state visit last year and upon the invitation of Governor-General David Hurley.
He emphasized the Philippines’ steadfast commitment to bolstering the partnership and friendship with Australia.
The exchange follows Albanese’s trip to the Philippines last September, marking the elevation of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, aimed at enhancing cooperation across various sectors.
President Marcos also noted the defense and security ties between the two nations, citing the successful implementation of Exercise Alon and the Maritime Cooperative Activity under the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement with Australia, a significant defense accord among the country’s alliances.
On Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said the President is also expected to float the current situation inside the West Philippine Sea.
Recently, the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy have reported signal jamming, communication interference, and sightings of Chinese Navy warships roaming inside the country’s exclusive economic zone. — Charles Dantes
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headlines “PH to sign 3 bilateral agreements with Australia / Marcos arrives in Australia for reciprocal visit.”
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