President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed his anticipation for a stronger partnership between the Philippines and the Czech Republic as he welcomed Czech Republic Defense Minister Jana Černochová to Malacañang Palace on Thursday.

During their meeting, Marcos expressed confidence in deepening the relationship between the two nations, particularly in the areas of economy, defense and security.

“I am very optimistic about the future of our relationship, from people-to-people connections to economic cooperation, and in defense and security, as well as diplomatic and government-to-government ties,” Marcos said.

He added that there are many opportunities for collaboration that remain untapped.

“I believe there is much we can do together, and many areas that still need exploration,” he noted.

Marcos recalled his previous meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel, where they discussed potential areas of partnership such as trade and investment, agriculture, green economy and renewable energy, defense, cybersecurity, education, tourism and labor.

“I remember that our talks extended beyond the issues raised by our ministries, covering a wide range of topics,” he said.

The President also expressed gratitude for the Czech delegation’s visit, expressing hopes that it would be as productive as their prior meeting in Prague.

“I’m very happy you were able to come, and we deeply appreciate your visit, especially following our very productive engagement in Prague,” Marcos said.

According to the Presidential Communications Office, over 7,000 Filipinos are employed in the Czech Republic across various sectors, including manufacturing, automotive, IT communications, healthcare and household services.