President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (File photo)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is heading to London on Thursday night (US time) to further strengthen the economic relations and trade partnership between Manila and London, Malacañang said Friday (Manila time).
According to a news update from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Marcos said he would meet with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after a hectic but very fruitful five-day official visit to Washington, DC.
The PCO said Marcos was invited to London for the Grand Coronation of Britain’s King Charles III on May 6, as relayed by UK Ambassador Laure Beaufils.
“Makikipagkita ako sa kanilang bagong Prime Minister, Prime Minister Sunak, upang makapag-usap kami kung mayroon bang pagbabago sa kanyang pag-iisip sa pag-partner ng UK at saka ng Pilipinas (I will meet with their new Prime Minister, Prime Minister Sunak, so that we could discuss new developments regarding the partnership between the UK and the Philippines),” Marcos told the press in a briefing at St. Regis Hotel in Washington, DC.
"Sa palagay ko ay ganun din ang sasabihin niya na dapat papatibayin natin. At naghihingalo, hirap na hirap ang ekonomiya ng UK so baka isang bagay ‘yun na pag-uusapan namin kung papaano mag-trade, kung papaano dagdagan (I think he will say the same thing – that we should strengthen it. The UK's economy is undergoing some hardships so what we could potentially discuss is how to boost trade).”
The President said his family would land at Gatwick Airport, where he will take the opportunity to check on some “lessons learned” by airport officials and apply them in improving the Philippines’ major airports.
"Usually, hindi sa Gatwick ang pinupuntahan ngunit ngayon ay pupuntahan ko ‘yung Gatwick dahil titingnan ko ‘yung operation ng kanilang airport kung bagay ba ito – ‘yung mga lessons learned nila, ‘yung mga ginagawa nila, kung best practices ‘yan na puwede nating dalhin sa Pilipinas (Gatwick is not usually used as a gateway, but this time, I will check the airport's operations and see if there are lessons learned and best practices that can be applied in the Philippines),” he said.
Marcos earlier renewed his administration's commitment to improving Manila's airport operations to ensure ease of travel to strengthen the country's tourism sector. (PNA)
