President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. touted the Philippines’ “much deeper interconnection” with the European Union during EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Serge Gustave Eugene Veron’s farewell call in Malacañang on Thursday night.

“You’ve been affixed here in all the work that we’ve been doing for the last three years since I’ve been President. And I think that in that time we really have seen a much deeper interconnection between the Philippines and the EU,” Marcos told Veron, as he cited the EU’s significant contributions to the country.

Veron was designated EU ambassador in November 2020 and arrived in the Philippines on 15 December of the same year. He presented his credentials in Malacañang on 10 February 2021.

Veron previously worked at the European External Action Services (EEAS) and the European Commission.

During his farewell call, Marcos conferred the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross (Datu), Silver Distinction (Katangiang Pilak), on Veron for his crucial contributions to strengthening Philippine-EU bilateral relations.

Marcos also cited Veron for promoting the rule of law and the rules-based international order as well as furthering the longstanding commitment and consistent contributions of the European Union toward securing peace and development in Mindanao through the peace process and grassroots development.

The President also cited Veron’s huge contribution to the ongoing transition of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Humanitarian assistance

The citation mentioned Veron’s initiatives “to obtain and provide humanitarian assistance to the Philippines in times of natural disaster and during the Covid-19 pandemic and for his many laudable initiatives to foster amity and mutual appreciation between the peoples of the Philippines and the European Union.”