MANILA - Jordan's King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein on Thursday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte to his palace, officially marking the start of the Filipino leader's visit to the Arab state.

Duterte and the Jordanian royalty will hold a tête-à-tête and closed-door meeting as the two countries seek to elevate ties.

The king is also set to have an official working lunch with the President and his delegation to conclude their meeting.

During the meeting, both countries are expected to ink agreements on defense cooperation, labor, migrant workers' welfare, foreign affairs, and trade and investments.

Among pacts to be signed covers the employment of domestic workers, which the Department of Foreign Affairs said would hopefully improve working conditions of Filipino domestic workers bound for Jordan.

The agreements are as follows:

• Memorandum of Understanding on labor cooperation: To ensure improvements in the working conditions of Filipino domestic workers bound for Jordan
• Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation: For the upgrade of the country’s defense capabilities
• Investment agreement with the Jordan Investment Commission: For the enhancement of two-way trade and investments
• Mutual recognition of the Standard of Training and Certification of Watchkeepers for Seafarers

The President will also be attending a forum with Jordanian and Philippine businessmen on Thursday afternoon (Jordan time).

On Friday, the President will meet with members of the Filipino community at the Royal Cultural Palace.

Jordan hosts some 40,000 Filipino workers.

Duterte arrived in Jordan on Wednesday, his second stop in a two-nation swing that started with a visit to Israel, a first for a Filipino President.

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