MANILA — The French government is going to open direct flights from Manila to Paris and strengthen its scholarship program in the Philippines, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Press Secretary Cheloy Garafil said outgoing French Ambassador to the Philippines HE Michèle Boccoz informed President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. about the development during her farewell call in Malacañang on Tuesday.

The move to open direct flights is currently in progress, according to Boccoz.

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Marcos thanked the French envoy, who will conclude her diplomatic post this July, Garafil added.

“It is something new for our two countries to have these relationships now. I’m sure that there’s something that will grow rapidly within the next two years. Those are the things that I think we can merge. I think we can make a good start,” said Marcos.

For her part, Boccoz said the move is anchored on the fact that they are promoting to have more students in the fields of Science, Engineering and Technologies "because there’s so many gifted—very, very gifted people."

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“There are many things going on and one of them, I understand, we will have in the near future a direct flight from Manila to Paris and that’s also in progress,” said Boccoz.

"The young generation is so dynamic in this country and I’m sure there’ll be many, many opportunities to increase the relationship in all those areas, and to go to the next step of our relation,” she added.

The Palace said France is the 18th trading partner of the Philippines from 2021 to 2022, with total trade reaching from $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion.

France also remains as the country's 5th biggest agri-export partner in 2021 and the 4th of the agri-import sources among EU member states, based on the statement.

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