CEBU, May 7 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived here today for a two-day visit to attend the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings.
A special aircraft carrying Anwar and his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail landed at the Brigadier General Benito N. Ebuen Air Base here at 1.50pm.
They were welcomed by the Philippines’ Energy Department Secretary Sharon S. Garin, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Cynthia King-Chan.
Also present was Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Datuk Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony.
Anwar was also greeted by a guard of honour led by Philippine Air Force’s 220th Airlift Wing commander Joseph Archog, and a troupe of traditional dancers at the airport.
Anwar will participate in the Special Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Summit, to be held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, where discussions will focus on sub-regional development.
Later, he will join bilateral meetings with his Lao and Singaporean counterparts, before attending the BIMP-EAGA leaders’ dinner hosted by Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr and his wife Louise Araneta-Marcos.
On May 8, Anwar will attend the opening of the 48th ASEAN Summit. He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with his Vietnamese and Thai counterparts.
He will later join a gala dinner hosted by Marcos and his wife before coming home.
In a statement yesterday, the Foreign Ministry said the summit is an opportunity for Malaysia to exchange views on various issues.
Discussions will focus on the effects of the West Asia crisis on Southeast Asia, ASEAN’s moves to ensure regional energy and food security, and the safety of the bloc’s citizens in conflict areas.
The Philippines took over ASEAN chairmanship from Malaysia on January 1, with the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together”.
The republic, during its tenure this year, seeks to steer ASEAN’s priorities through three pillars — peace and security anchors, prosperity corridors, and people empowerment.
