Photo credit: PCO

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to depart for Canberra to bolster the existing bonds of cooperation and explore new avenues of collaboration with Australia. This pivotal visit, scheduled for February 28-29, comes as an invitation from Governor General David Hurley.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza emphasized the strategic nature of the visit during a Palace briefing on Tuesday. The President's Guest of Government visit aims to fortify the strategic partnership, reaffirming the shared interests of the Philippines and Australia in regional prosperity and peace.

President Marcos is poised to make history as the first Philippine President to address the Australian Parliament during this visit. His speech will outline the vision and future prospects under the Philippines-Australia strategic partnership. The agenda also includes formal discussions with key Australian officials, including Governor General Hurley, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and other Parliamentary leaders.

This visit follows the elevation of bilateral relations between the Philippines and Australia from comprehensive to a strategic partnership in September last year. Both nations anticipate celebrating the 78th anniversary of diplomatic relations later this year.

President Marcos's visit to Canberra marks the initial leg of his Australian tour. He is slated to participate in the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit from March 4-6, 2024, at the invitation of Prime Minister Albanese. Australia, as ASEAN's oldest dialogue partner, holds a prominent role in fostering cooperation across political, security, economic, and social-cultural fronts.