BOGOR, Indonesia — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of partnerships between nations in achieving a post-pandemic recovery when he met here Monday with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

"It is significant that I chose Indonesia, Jakarta, to be my first visit of my presidency... for many reasons. One of those is that we are close in terms of not only geographical locations, but... in terms of culture..., in terms of ethnicity," Marcos, flanked by other Philippine officials, told Widodo during their meeting at the Istana Bogor (Bogor Palace).

"And I think that it is going to be the strong partnerships that we will make, as we slowly come out of the pandemic economy, is what is going to lead us to success," he added.

"That is why we go once again to our friends and to our partners around the world, especially in the region, especially together with what we spoke about, the ASEAN member countries and the common concerns that we share. So again, it's those partnerships I believe that will keep the stability of all of our plans and what we are hoping to do in the next few years."

Marcos noted that the Philippines and Indonesia have already been trading for thousands of years.

• Marcos arrives in Indonesia for first state visit

The Philippine leader arrived Sunday in Indonesia for his first state visit since assuming power on June 30. He will depart Tuesday, for Singapore before heading home the day after.

Marcos thanked Widodo for inviting him for a state visit.

“I would like to thank your government for your kind invitation. Although it is the first time I have been to Jakarta, we look around and it feels like home,” he said.

“You have welcomed us so warmly and we have felt the willingness of Indonesia to strengthen the partnership,” he added.

• Marcos to witness signing of defense, culture pacts during state visit to Indonesia

AGREEMENTS SIGNED

The two leaders witnessed the exchange of four agreements between the Philippines and Indonesia, which are as follows:

• Plan of Action between the Government of Republic of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines from 2022 to 2027
• Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Republic of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines on Cultural Cooperation
• Agreement on Cooperative Activities in the Field of Defense and Security (DSCA) between the Government of Republic of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines
• Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the Development and Promotion of Creative Economy between the Government of Republic of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines

The Plan of Action will outline the bilateral commitments between the Philippines and Indonesia in the next five years, particularly in areas of economy, energy, maritime affairs, culture, education, labor and health.

The renewal of the DSCA—an agreement first signed in 1997—will serve as the mother framework for all defense and security projects between the Philippines and Indonesia.

The DSCA will also cover areas of collaboration such as joint trainings, border security, information sharing and the development of interoperability between the two countries.

The memorandum on cultural cooperation seeks to promote people-to-people exchanges and mutual understanding through the sharing of culture.

The government has yet to give more details about the agreement for creative economy.

As of 2021, bilateral trade between the Philippines and Indonesia is pegged at $9.5 billion, according to data from the Indonesian Embassy in the Philippines.

The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said that Indonesia is the Philippines’ 8th largest trading partner, and the country’s 27th top investment partner.

• Marcos to witness signing of defense, culture pacts during state visit to Indonesia

FIRST MEETING

Marcos was welcomed with state honors at the Istana Bogor, the seat of power in Southeast Asia’s largest economy.

Indonesian First Lady Iriana Widodo handed flowers to Philippine First Lady Liza Marcos before escorting the former inside the Palace.

Indonesian military personnel donning traditional costumes also conducted a military parade to welcome Marcos and his delegation. A 21-gun salute was held while the two countries’ national anthems were played.

Marcos was introduced to Widodo’s Cabinet, while the Indonesian leader also greeted Marcos’ official delegation, namely: House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez
, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno
, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual
, First son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, and Defense Secretary Jose Faustino Jr.

Marcos and his wife signed Istana Bogor’s guestbook before proceeding to the veranda where they praised Widodo for the vast greenery and lawn within the Indonesian Palace.

“There is a lot of oxygen here,” Widodo told Marcos in jest.

The two Southeast Asian presidents and their wives walked to a nearby lawn where Marcos planted a pohon kayu ulin, a rare timber tree found in the eastern parts of Southeast Asia.

It is a tradition for heads of state who visit Istana Bogor to plant trees within the Palace grounds. Other heads of states who have planted trees here include those from Japan, China, Germany, Australia and East Timor.

A state luncheon was held for Marcos and his delegation at the Bogor Palace.

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