The Malaysian government is eyeing to upgrade its engagements with the Philippines, particularly in developing cooperations in the areas of the halal industry, agriculture, green technology, and digitalization.

Malaysian Ambassador Dato Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino confirmed this commitment at the Malaysian National Day Reception over the weekend.

Castelino noted that the existing bilateral relations between the Philippines and Malaysia are currently "at its peak."

"Remarkably, this is the year where both our leaders officially met twice within a span of not less than six months. The Philippines was one of the first countries that invited Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim right after he was elected," he said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier hosted a state visit for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in the Philippines from 1 to 2 March.

During the state visit, Marcos and Anwar agreed that reinvigorating trade and investment exchanges would help the two countries navigate through the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and the changing geopolitical landscape in the region.

Following this, Anwar hosted a state visit for Marcos from 25 to 27 July in Malaysia.

"This, to me, is truly special – and I am happy to be a part of the history to witness this momentous elevation of our country's relationship. The two leaders agreed to focus collaborations on halal industry, agriculture, digitalization, and green technology," Castelino said.

"I can say that today, our bilateral relations are at its peak," he added.

The Philippines is hoping to tap the global halal market size which was valued at more than USD 2 trillion in 2022, while it sees Malaysia as an "ideal partner" to accelerate digitalization in the country.