Widodo to visit PHL next week —Palace
File photo President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr shakes hands with President Jokowi Widodo during the arrival greetings at the start of the 42nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. On Tuesday, the president announced that the Philippines will host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in 2026. | Photo by Yummie Dingding.
Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo will visit the Philippines next week to meet with his counterpart, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Malacañang announced Thursday.
Quoting the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Presidential Communications Office said Widodo will be in the Philippines from 9 to 11 January.
"President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is pleased to welcome His Excellency Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia, for his upcoming official visit to the Philippines, scheduled on 9-11 January 2024," the PCO said in a statement.
"The Philippines and Indonesia, both founding members of ASEAN, are close neighbors and partners that have enjoyed longstanding and robust cooperation in a wide range of areas in the political, economic, and people-to-people relations, " it added.
According to the DFA, Marcos will meet with Widodo on 10 January to take stock of the progress in Philippines-Indonesia relations following the successful state visit of the Filipino leader to Indonesia in September 2022.
Widodo and Marcos last met during the latter's state visit to Indonesia – his inaugural state visit after assuming office — in September 2022.
The two leaders are also expected to reaffirm their commitment to deepening and expanding Philippines-Indonesia ties, especially as the two countries celebrate this coming November the 75th anniversary of their formal diplomatic relations, the DFA noted.