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.
Source: Antara News