Phnom penh: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. departed for Cambodia on Sunday for a state visit focused on enhancing trade relations and advancing cooperation against transnational crime, while also seeking support for the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship in 2026. The state visit, which marks the first by a Philippine president to Cambodia in nearly nine years, underscores Manila’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and fostering a progressive and inclusive region.
According to Philippines News Agency, President Marcos’s plane left Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at 1:44 p.m., accompanied by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and key Cabinet officials. The President’s visit comes at the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni and includes meetings with Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet. Additionally, President Marcos plans to engage with Filipino and Cambodian business leaders to strengthen trade and investment cooperation and will address the Filipino community in Phnom Penh.
In his pre-departure statement, President Marcos emphasized that this visit will build upon Prime Minister Hun Manet’s February trip to Manila. He highlighted the opportunity to diversify cooperation in sectors such as defense, agriculture, commerce, and heritage preservation. The President expressed hopes for intensified defense and security collaboration with Cambodia to maintain a peaceful, stable, and resilient ASEAN community.
President Marcos also noted the longstanding friendship between Filipinos and Cambodians, referencing the presence of approximately 7,500 overseas Filipinos in Cambodia and the Philippine government’s scholarship support for Cambodian students in science and technology fields. During President Marcos’s absence, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III have been appointed as government caretakers.
