President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. welcomed newly elected Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda to Malacañan Palace on Wednesday, 26 February.
During the courtesy call, Marcos praised the ADB’s ongoing support for the Philippines, highlighting its crucial role in the country’s economic development.
The President described the ADB as "the most important partner" of the Philippines, emphasizing the strength of their longstanding collaboration.
"I mean the development that we have achieved [has been] assisted by the ADB, which is the most important partner that we have had in the Philippines," Marcos told Kanda.
Currently, the ADB funds seven key projects aligned with the administration’s initiatives: the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project, the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, the Climate Change Action Program, the Build Universal Health Care Program, the Health System Enhancement to Address and Limit COVID-19 (HEAL) Project, the Competitive and Inclusive Agriculture Development Program, and the Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program.
Marcos also recalled the ADB’s long-standing relationship with the Philippines, dating back to the administration of his father, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
The ADB was inaugurated in Manila on 19 December 1966, initially serving a predominantly agricultural region with only 31 members. Today, the ADB has expanded to 69 members, including 49 from Asia. Its first president was Takeshi Watanabe.
“We find that in the last years, recent years, that has even increased. And so, I think, it is very encouraging, very promising," Marcos said, referring to the growing membership of the ADB.
Kanda assumed the ADB presidency on Monday, 24 February 2025, completing the remaining term of his predecessor, Masatsugu Asakawa, whose tenure ends on 23 November 2026.