VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. expressed gratitude for Indonesia's involvement and assistance in infrastructure development in the Philippines.

"I thank Indonesia for its assistance and involvement in the Philippines' infrastructure development in the era of my predecessor (Rodrigo) Duterte," Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. stated.

Hr made the statement during a joint press statement after a bilateral meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Bogor Palace, West Java, on Monday.

During the meeting, Marcos Jr. and Jokowi discussed the difficulties encountered by the two countries as ASEAN member countries after the COVID-19 pandemic.

He emphasized the importance for the Philippines and Indonesia to establish trade cooperation.

"We also discuss a lot about ASEAN's role in dealing with the current global geopolitical conditions. We agree that the ASEAN must be an agent of change for peace,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, President Jokowi expressed optimism that the opportunities for State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) and Indonesian national private companies would increase in supporting development in the Philippines.

"In future, I want more opportunities for State-Owned Enterprises and private companies to support development in the Philippines," Jokowi remarked.

According to the president, several State-Owned Enterprises have, so far, participated in development programs in the Philippines, such as the project to procure two Landing Platform Dock (LPD) vessels by PT PAL and the train signaling project in Manila by PT LEN Industri.

Jokowi expressed hope that the opportunities for BUMN and national private companies would increase in contributing to development in the Philippines.

He was also optimistic that the Philippines' plan to procure NC212i aircraft from PT Dirgantara Indonesia would be realized soon. (Antaranews)

Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Indonesia and the Philippines to strengthen cooperation and water security in border areas was signed at Bogor Palace, Monday, witnessed by Presidents Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.

"Regarding strengthening border cooperation, we agreed to review the two border security agreements to stay relevant to the community ," Jokowi noted during a virtual press statement as accessed from the Secretariat President's YouTube channel on Monday.

Jokowi and Marcos agreed to review two border security agreements: the revised border crossing and the border patrol agreement.

Indonesia and the Philippines are also committed to accelerating negotiations on the delimitation method or determining the boundary line in the maritime area based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In addition to the two agreements, Jokowi lauded the inking of the MoU on cooperation between the two countries in the defense and security fields by Indonesian Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, and the Philippines' Senior Undersecretary Department of National Defense, Jose C. Faustino.

Under the MoU, the two countries encourage strengthening water safety and security in border areas.

The president also lauded the renewed Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) agreement between Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

"Securing waterways is very important to avoid threats from hostage-taking and kidnapping," Jokowi stated.

President Jokowi also highlighted five aspects discussed with President Marcos: increasing potential in the trade sector, infrastructure and strategic industrial cooperation with State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), border cooperation, water safety in border areas, and strengthening the centrality of the ASEAN region.

Jokowi's ranks of ministers including Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Coordinating Minister of Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno, and Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno were present at the Bogor Palace.

Moreover, Indonesia's Ambassador to the Philippines Agus Widjojo and Foreign Affairs Ministry's Director General of Asia-Pacific and African Affairs Abdul Kadir Jailani were present to welcome President Marcos and his entourage. (Antaranews)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) expressed hope that more opportunities would arise for national state-owned companies and private enterprises to contribute to development of the Philippines.

"I hope that in future, more opportunities would arise for state-owned enterprises and Indonesian private companies to support development in the Philippines," Jokowi stated in a joint press conference after a bilateral meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. at the Bogor Palace, West Java, Monday.

Jokowi said that during the meeting, he and President Marcos discussed efforts to enhance cooperation in the infrastructure and strategic industries between both countries.

He highlighted the development of two landing platform docks (LPDs) for the Philippines by state-owned shipbuilding company PT PAL Indonesia and railway signal system development in Manila by PT LEN Industri as projects in which Indonesian state-owned companies have partaken to contribute to development in the Philippines.

The president expressed optimism that more state companies and private enterprises would partake in development projects in the Philippines. He also voiced hope that the Philippines' plan to purchase NC212i produced by state-owned aviation company Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) would be realized soon.

Meanwhile, the president also called for intensifying efforts to enhance the bilateral trade volume with the Philippines, as the current trade volume with the Philippines has increased by 50 percent as compared to the volume in 2021.

He also specifically encouraged efforts to increase the exports of food, beverages, pharmacy products, coconut, and seaweed products to the Philippines.

"I encourage the Philippines to continue to develop trade potentials and connectivity in border regions. I propose the revitalization of the Bitung-Davao RORO ferry marine route and the opening of the Manado-Davao flight route," Jokowi said.

President Marcos and First Lady Araneta-Marcos arrived in Indonesia on Sunday (September 4) and were welcomed by Minister of Communications and Informatics Johnny G. Plate at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Before visiting the Bogor Palace, the Philippines presidential entourage had earlier visited the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in South Jakarta to lay a wreath and pay homage to the national heroes. (Antaranews)

Indonesia and the Philippines agreed to significantly boost the value of their bilateral trade and strengthen connectivity in border areas.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) made the statement after holding a bilateral meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. at the Bogor Presidential Palace, Bogor City, West Java Province, on Monday.

The Indonesian president stated that in comparison with the previous year, the trade between both nations had increased by almost 50 percent.

Indonesia has specifically encouraged the exports of food, beverage, pharmaceutical, coconut, and seaweed products to the Philippines, he remarked.

"I invite the Philippines to continue to develop trade potentials (between the countries) as well as connectivity in border areas. I suggest to revitalize the Bitung (North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia)-Davao (Davao Region, the Philippines) RORO (roll-on/roll-off) ship route and open the Manado (North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia)-Davao flight route," he added.

Marcos’ visit to Indonesia is his first overseas trip after being inaugurated as President of the Philippines on June 30, 2022.

He deliberately chose Indonesia as the first country to visit since the two countries were not only geographically close but also had similar cultures and ethnicities.

Bilateral relations between Indonesia and the Philippines were initiated on November 24, 1949.

The total value of trade between the two countries in 2021 had reached US$9.5 billion, comprising US$8.6 billion worth of exports and US$1.2 billion of imports. Hence, Indonesia's trade balance with the Philippines had recorded a surplus of US$7.3 billion.

The bilateral meeting was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno, State Secretariat Minister Pratikno, Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Lieutenant General (ret.) Agus Widjojo, as well as Director General for Asia-Pacific and Africa Regions at the Foreign Affairs Ministry Abdul Kadir Jailani. (Antaranews)