Widodo to visit PHL next week —Palace

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.

During their last meeting meeting, Widodo and Marcos discussed the current and future state of the bilateral relationship between the Philippines and Indonesia.

The two leaders also witnessed the signing of several agreements, particularly on defense and security, creative economy, and culture.

Specifically, among those that were signed include the Philippines-Indonesia Plan of Action for the next five years, which commits both countries to projects and activities covering the full range of bilateral ties.

During the sidelines of Marcos Jr's state visit, the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, said it had requested an executive clemency for Mary Jane Veloso.

Veloso is a Filipino on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking charges.

In 2015, she was supposed to be executed by the firing squad, however, Widodo decided to spare her life due to a last-minute appeal from then-President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

Widodo's last state visit to the Philippines was in 2017. During his visit to the Philippines, he also participated in the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Leader's Summit which Manila hosted.

JCBC

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced that Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo and his counterpart, Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs H.E. Retno L.P. Marsudi will meet in Manila on 9 January to convene the Ministerial Meeting of the 7th Philippines-Indonesia Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation.

The JCBC is the primary dialogue mechanism between the Philippines and Indonesia to review accomplishments on mutual collaboration initiatives, exchange views on issues of mutual interest, and consider plans for enhancing cooperation.

The DFA said the two ministers are also expected to exchange views on key regional and international issues of common concern for the Philippines and Indonesia.

The Ministerial Meeting follows the Senior Officials' Meeting of the 7th JCBC which was convened via virtual format on 11 and 12 April 2022.