Kuala Lumpur: Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Maria Angela A. Ponce reaffirmed the Philippines’ strong commitment to supporting Malaysia’s priorities during its presidency of the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in a courtesy call on Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dr Johari Bin Abdul on Thursday.
Ponce congratulated the Johari on his AIPA Presidency, highlighting his productive January visit to Manila.
During that visit, he held key discussions with Senate President Senator Francis Joseph Escudero and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, underscoring the strong foundation of Philippine-Malaysian relations.
Discussions between Ponce and Johari centred on strengthening bilateral ties and exploring new avenues for collaboration.
Key areas identified for enhanced cooperation include education, halal and Islamic finance, tourism, food security, renewable energy, and contributing to the economic development of Mindanao.
Johari emphasized AIPA’s crucial role in fostering intra-Asean trade, reinforcing Asean unity, and upholding its status as a Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality.
Ponce echoed this sentiment, reiterating the Philippines’ dedication to these shared goals.
The meeting further solidified the strong relationship between the Philippines and Malaysia, highlighting a shared commitment to regional cooperation and economic development.