PBBM now in Czech Republic after ‘productive’ Germany visit

After a three-day productive and successful working visit in Germany, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. arrived on Wednesday afternoon (local time) at the Vaclav Havel International Airport for a four-day state visit in the Czech Republic. (PCO Photo)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is now on the second half of his two-country Central Europe visit, arriving in Czech Republic early Thursday after a three-day productive and successful working trip in Germany.

The plane carrying Marcos, First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and other members of the Philippine delegation landed at Vaclav Havel International Airport in Prague at 5:43 p.m. Wednesday (12:43 a.m. Thursday, Manila time), the Presidential Communications Office said.

While in Prague, Marcos will meet Czech Republic President Petr Pavel and three other constitutional heads, which include Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and the heads of the Czech Parliament — Senate President Miloš Vystrčil and the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarová Adamová.

A Joint Communiqué on the establishment of labor consultation mechanisms to ensure the safe and orderly migration of Filipino workers and provide a higher level of protection of their rights and welfare is expected to be signed during Marcos’ visit.

The President’s four-day state visit is through the invitation of Pavel, and is in line with the commemoration of the 50th bilateral ties between the Philippines and Czech Republic since its establishment on October 5, 1973.

Productive Germany visit

Before leaving Berlin, President Marcos reported a “productive outcome” of his three-day working visit to Germany, citing its economic and political impact as well as its importance to the country’s regional competitiveness and economic transformation.

The President said. his bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz covered issues concerning both countries, as well as the situation in Ukraine and the German leader’s upcoming visit to Russia and China.

Marcos said he is expecting good results from Scholz visits for securing peace in Eastern Europe and stability in the South China Sea.

The Chief Executive also reported about his fruitful discussions with top officials of German corporations, such as Bosch, Siemens, Airbus, and Lufthansa Technik, who have expressed their intentions to continue investing in the Philippines.

“It’s encouraging because once again — all of these different entities seemed to be confident in the Philippines economic condition,” Marcos said, noting some of the German firms are already operating in the Philippines, and would want to expand their operations in the country.

“And that is manifested by the fact that they are preparing to invest further and whatever.

If they have production already, if they have already an operation in the Philippines, they tend to expand. So, we will follow on this and again, try to define government’s role in the transformation process that we went through,” he added.