Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.
KUALA LUMPUR: As I was writing my previous column article for this esteemed newspaper, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines was beginning his state visit to Malaysia. The willingness to undertake a foreign visit the very next day after his State of the Nation Address to a joint session of the Congress testified amply to President Marcos' view — and, by extension that of his administration — of the crucial importance of the bilateral relationship with Malaysia. This is because after such an important national address, a president would typically embark upon a nationwide tour to explain in more detail and to elicit reactions from the citizens at large, as I noticed American presidents typically do so after their State of the Union addresses. I am sure after returning home to the Philippines, President Marcos would engage extensively with the Philippine populace on his forthcoming policies as laid out in his latest State of the Nation Address.
But meanwhile, it was a colorful three-day visit for the Filipino VIPs in Malaysia. As I cursorily followed the state visit's itinerary, President Marcos met with the Philippine expatriate community in Malaysia shortly after he arrived in Kuala Lumpur. There was quite some serenading with what must have been famous Philippine songs before the President addressed a seemingly much impressed and stirred Filipino audience excited to meet their president in person. President Marcos, in his capacity as head of state, met with the Malaysian king, and also, in his capacity as head of government, the Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim. (As I understand it, now that the Philippines no longer has a prime minister, the president is both head of state and head of government.) He also took time to meet Malaysian business leaders who were eager to explore business opportunities in the Philippines.
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