Marcos back in PH after 'short but productive' working visit to UAE

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. returned to the Philippines on Wednesday morning after his "short but productive" working visit to the United Arab Emirates.

According to Marcos, whose plane landed at 10 in the morning, his visit resulted in several bilateral deals being sealed.

''I look forward to the implementation of several bilateral agreements in culture, energy transition, legal cooperation, artificial intelligence and digital economy, the improvement of government activities, visa waiver for holders of diplomatic, special, and official passports, and investment cooperation,'' Marcos said in his arrival statement. 

Marcos said during his meeting with UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, he expressed Manila's appreciation for the UAE government’s care and respect for the Filipino community there.

In response, the UAE President commended the contributions of Filipinos toward UAE's development.

Marcos also thanked Sheikh Al Nahyan for understanding that his visit had to be cut short due to the need to immediately return to Manila and attend to relief and reconstruction activities in communities devastated by the series of tropical cyclones.

''I also conveyed appreciation for the UAE Government’s constant humanitarian support for victims of these natural calamities,'' Marcos said.

Marcos said he invited His Highness to visit the Philippines in the coming months to continue their dialogue and to explore further areas of cooperation.

During his one-day visit, Marcos also expressed gratitude to the UAE's assistance in several matters, including the arrest and turnover of a sex trafficker to the Philippine authorities as well as the training and support for the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He also thanked the UAE for pardoning 143 Filipinos during this year’s Eid’l Adha and for its humanitarian aid to victims of recent floods in the Philippines.

For her part, First Lady Louise ''Liza'' Araneta-Marcos witnessed the signing  of  the PH-UAE Memorandum of Understanding on Culture.

According to Mrs. Marcos, the partnership between the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Ministry of Culture of the United Arab Emirates on Cooperation in the Culture Sector highlights the shared dedication to preserving and celebrating cultural heritage.

The Philippines and the UAE established diplomatic relations on August 19, 1974.

Almost 700,000 Filipinos are working or residing in the UAE, contributing to the Gulf state’s development, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).  —KBK, GMA Integrated News