Marcos departs for Cambodia to boost ASEAN ties

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. departed for Phnom Penh on Sunday for a three-day State Visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia, aimed at strengthening bilateral trade relations, enhancing cooperation on transnational crime, and securing regional support for the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026.

This marks the first State Visit by a Philippine President to Cambodia in nearly nine years, following an invitation extended by His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni.

During the visit, President Marcos is scheduled to hold high-level meetings with Cambodian leaders, including Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet. 

The agenda is expected to focus on expanding economic cooperation, reinforcing security collaboration to address cross-border crime, and aligning strategic priorities ahead of the Philippines' ASEAN leadership next year.

The President will also participate in a roundtable meeting with Filipino and Cambodian business leaders, where discussions will center on boosting investments and identifying new areas of economic partnership. 

In addition, he will engage with members of the Filipino community in Cambodia to hear their concerns and update them on government initiatives.

Accompanying the President are First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and key Cabinet officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Presidential Communications Office (PCO), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).