Category: Business Mirror

As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and four years after naming climate action as a priority of his administration, the Philippines is in its worst state since the days of the Covid-19 pandemic, environmental group Aksyon Klima Pilipinas said.

The group criticized the Marcos administration’s failure to live up to his promises as reflected in the government’s actions-or lack of outcomes-in the past 12 months, the group said.

‘After pledging in last year’s SONA for a swift and decisive execution of justice against everyone involved in the massive corruption in mismanaged flood control projects, his initiative has very little to show for it-billions of taxpayers’ money unrecovered and suspected individuals still on the run. Meanwhile, millions of Filipinos remain susceptible to extreme flooding,’ the group said.

Aksyon Klima said the government still subscribes to an unhealthy diet of traditional gray infrastructure projects, favoring corporate interests over the well-being of communities. What makes this worse is that many of these road and bridge projects are incorrectly tagged as climate solutions, as they have little to no contribution to reducing emissions or adapting to climate impacts, and would actually end up harming ecosystems and communities.

‘We also criticize his administration’s refusal to fully commit to transitioning away from fossil fuels-from the climate negotiations to the domestic level. Despite the first six months of 2026 reminding us of the impacts of continued dependence on dirty energy on our economy and society, the course of action has been performative at best-bold statements and legislative inquiries that went nowhere,’ the group said.

Despite these warning signs and precautionary tales, the administration refuses to learn lessons of the recent past and keeps implementing technocratic, bureaucratic, and elitist practices that are blind to realities on the ground, the group said. ‘We also demand that this Presidency reflect, in both words and actions, the need for protection and conservation of our ecosystems and natural resources, prioritizing the economic and social well-being of communities over private and political interests, and to protect the rights of its people against all threats-natural or anthropogenic, foreign or domestic.’

Agriculture graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and opportunities are badly needed to address pressing food security challenges, and this can only happen if national government and local agencies work together, the chairman of the Senate agriculture committee said Wednesday.

Senator Francis Pangilinan said the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and local government units (LGUs) must work together to ensure that there are enough agriculture graduates equipped with vital skills needed to restart the ailing farm sector.

He lamented the aging population of farmers in the country and stressed the need for key government agencies and local governments to bridge the gap between academic training and the realities of the agricultural sector.

‘The problem now is that many of our farmers are aging and there are few people in the communities who wish to go into farming, an 8 to 5 job,’ he said in an interview, speaking in Filipino.

‘So, here you have students who need to graduate but before they graduate, they need to do OJT. At this point the CHED, the DA, the LGU, the Bureau of Extension Services and Bureau of Cooperatives should already be on board so that agriculture can be given the right attention right from the start,’ he added. ‘And in that way, the next generation of young farmers will be motivated to go into farming because their career path is clear.’

Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, shared that each year, about 26,000 agriculture students are required to complete 240 to 360 hours of on-the-job training to graduate.

The DA extension services, whose renationalization he has been pushing for through Senate Bill No. 1991, should be supervising agriculture students, he pointed out.

Earlier, Pangilinan noted that many agriculture graduates either pursue careers outside the sector, find employment abroad, or remain underemployed because of the disconnect between academic preparation, available jobs, and the actual needs of farming communities.

He said stronger coordination among government agencies, academic institutions, and LGUs would help create clearer career pathways for graduates while ensuring that the country’s investment in agricultural education translates into better support for farmers and fisherfolk.

recognizing that young graduates would like to pursue more stable income-generating careers than work in the farms, the senator said this is the aim of his 2019 Sagip Saka Act, which establishes the Farmers and Fisherfolk Enterprise Development Program to transition farmers and fishers from subsistence farming to farm enterprise, management, and development.

‘By aligning education, workforce development, and local agricultural needs, we strengthen not only our agricultural sector but also our country’s ability to provide affordable, sufficient, and nutritious food for every Filipino.’

ON July 12, 2026, Vietnam and the Philippines celebrated the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.

It was more than a commemorative milestone. It was an opportunity to reflect on how the two neighbors, connected by geography and history, have built a relationship grounded in trust, mutual respect and shared aspirations, and to look ahead with confidence to the next 50 years.

Half a century ago, our two countries established diplomatic relations at a time when the region was still healing from conflicts and searching for a path toward peace and development. Few could have imagined how profoundly our region would be transformed.

Today, Southeast Asia has become one of the world’s most dynamic regions, and Vietnam and the Philippines have emerged as important contributors to its peace, stability and prosperity.

Our bilateral relationship has evolved in tandem. A defining milestone came in 2015, when our former president Truong Tan Sang and then-Philippine president Benigno Aquino III announced the establishment of the ‘Vietnam-Philippines Strategic Partnership’ on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Meeting.

Vietnam became the Philippines’ first-and to this day-only Strategic Partner within Asean, reflecting the high level of confidence and mutual trust between our two countries. That decision opened a new chapter of cooperation, expanding collaboration from political dialogue into trade, investment, defense, maritime affairs, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

Stronger, sustainable

TODAY, our relationship is stronger than ever.

The recent state visit by General Secretary and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam marked another historic milestone as our leaders agreed to elevate bilateral relations to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

Coming as we celebrate 50 years of friendship, this decision is not simply symbolic. It reflects the breadth and maturity of our cooperation and our shared determination to build an even more ambitious partnership for the decades ahead.

Economic cooperation has become one of the brightest pillars of our relationship. Bilateral trade has nearly tripled over the past decade, reaching almost $8 billion in 2025, making the Philippines one of Vietnam’s largest trading partners in the region. Yet, this figure represents only a fraction of our potential.

As both economies continue to grow rapidly, new opportunities are emerging in manufacturing, renewable energy, digital technology, logistics, infrastructure and high-value agriculture.

Investment is also gathering remarkable momentum. Vietnamese companies invested nearly $100 million in the Philippines in 2025 alone, with even stronger growth expected this year.

I was particularly encouraged to witness the signing of a partnership between VinEnergo of Viet Nam and SunAsia Energy of the Philippines, under which more than $400 million will be invested in renewable energy projects in Pampanga and Negros Occidental.

Such projects demonstrate how our businesses are becoming partners in building a greener and more sustainable future.

Flourishing exchanges

PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE connections are flourishing as well. Nearly half a million Filipino visitors traveled to Vietnam in 2025, making the Philippines one of our fastest-growing tourism markets.

More direct flights, expanding educational exchanges and closer business networks are bringing our peoples closer together. These personal connections create the strongest foundation for lasting friendship between our nations.

Perhaps nowhere is our partnership more visible than in food security. Vietnam has long been a reliable supplier of rice to the Philippines, accounting for around 80 to 85 percent of Philippine rice imports in recent years.

During periods of global uncertainty, including the Covid-19 pandemic, Vietnam consistently honored its commitments and worked closely with the Philippine government to help ensure stable rice supplies for Filipino consumers. This cooperation is more than commercial-it reflects mutual trust and our shared commitment to regional food resilience.

Our cooperation is also strong in defense, maritime security and law enforcement. As two maritime nations located at the heart of Southeast Asia, we share a strong interest in maintaining peace, stability, freedom of navigation and adherence to international law.

Through regular defense exchanges, coast guard cooperation and mechanisms such as the Joint Permanent Working Group on Maritime and Ocean Concerns, we continue to strengthen practical cooperation while contributing to regional peace and confidence-building.

Looking ahead

AS we look ahead, our Enhanced Strategic Partnership provides an excellent roadmap for even deeper cooperation.

First, we should accelerate trade and investment by facilitating market access, improving connectivity and encouraging greater participation of businesses from both countries.

Reaching $10 billion in bilateral trade should be regarded not as the destination, but as the next milestone.

Second, we should make digital transformation and the green economy new engines of growth. The recently signed memorandum of understanding on science, technology and digital transformation offers a timely framework for cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital governance, smart cities, cybersecurity, renewable energy and innovation-areas that will define our future competitiveness.

Third, our successful cooperation in food security should evolve into broader collaboration on sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient farming, aquaculture, agricultural technology and food innovation.

Together, we can help strengthen regional food security while improving the livelihoods of our farmers and fishing communities.

Fourth, we should invest even more in our greatest asset: our people. Implementing the ‘2026-2029 Tourism Cooperation Program’ and the ‘2024-2029 Cultural Cooperation Program,’ opening additional direct air links, expanding student exchanges, strengthening university partnerships and promoting cultural and healthcare cooperation will enable more Vietnamese and Filipinos to understand, appreciate and learn from one another.

Last, but not least, we should continue deepening cooperation in defense, maritime affairs, disaster risk reduction, marine environmental protection and the fight against transnational crime. Equally important is our close coordination within Asean. A strong bilateral relationship contributes to a stronger region-one that remains united, resilient, people-centered and capable of addressing the challenges of an increasingly complex world.

Asean future

ULTIMATELY, the story of Vietnam-Philippines relations is not merely one of diplomacy or official agreements. It is the story of farmers helping feed millions of families, entrepreneurs creating jobs and opportunities, students discovering new horizons, tourists exploring each other’s beautiful countries, and young people imagining a common Asean future.

The decision to elevate our relationship to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership is therefore not the culmination of our journey. It is the beginning of an even more ambitious one.

As ambassador of Vietnam to the Philippines, I have had the privilege of witnessing the warmth, openness and goodwill that Filipinos consistently extend to the Vietnamese people. I am confident that, with our shared values, complementary strengths and common vision for a peaceful and prosperous region, the next 50 years of our partnership will be even more remarkable than the first.

The best chapter of Vietnam-Philippines relations has yet to be written, and we will write it together. PNA

The Philippines will allow the entry of 250,000 metric tons (MT) fish imports during the closed fishing season in the fourth quarter as domestic supply and retail prices remain steady, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA will start issuing import clearances covering 250,000 MT of fish shipments around October, deviating from the initial August 1 timeline.

‘The imports will only be triggered, when necessary,’ he told reporters on Wednesday, adding that prices of fish products remained stable.

Last March, the DA authorized the importation of 250,000 MT of fish to ensure a steady supply of affordable fish and other marine products this year.

The volume was recommended by the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council’s (NFARMC) last February.

Under a previous DA circular, the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs) was scheduled to begin on August 1, covering over 50 species.

‘The fishing season has been extended due to El Niño and there’s currently ample supply of milkfish and tilapia, so the imports will likely be triggered during the closed fishing season sometime in October or November,’ the DA chief said.

The government imposes a three-month closed fishing season in waters northeast of Palawan starting November 1 and in the Visayan Seas and Zamboanga Peninsula beginning November 15. All three areas are spawning grounds for small pelagic fishes like sardines and mackerel.

The DA chief said that the agency is looking at additional areas where closed fishing seasons could be implemented, such as in Northwest Mindanao.

He added that the implementation could begin in 2027, pending scientific basis for such an issuance.

The DA said recently that it earmarked P600 million for the construction of the country’s first mega hatcheries which will help the Philippines reduce its reliance on imported fry.

The DA chief had confirmed to the BusinessMirror that his agency is allotting P200 million each for three mega hatcheries under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) 2027.

Once built, he said the mega hatcheries could produce a billion fry (young fish) of milkfish and other aquaculture and mariculture species.

The DA will construct one mega hatchery in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, each spanning 40 hectares, which will be completed by the end of 2027.

SOME 16 million residents of former conflict-affected barangays are now benefiting from critical infrastructure and basic social services through the Local Government Support Fund-Support to Barangay Development Program (LGSF-SBDP), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.

In a statement, the DILG said the LGSF-SBDP continues to address long-standing development gaps by supporting critical local infrastructure projects that promote lasting peace and inclusive development.

From 2021 to 2025, the program funded 7,922 projects worth P36.82 billion.

These include 3,882 farm-to-market roads, 696 school buildings, 1,403 water supply and sanitation systems, 626 health stations, and 949 rural electrification projects, bringing essential government services closer to communities that need them most.

Among the communities benefiting from the program is barangay Nato in Gubat, Sorsogon, where residents now enjoy a more reliable and sustainable water supply following the rehabilitation and improvement of their water system funded under the 2023 LGSF-SBDP. The upgraded facility has eased years of difficulty in accessing clean water, supporting household needs, sanitation, and livelihood activities that depend on a stable water source.

Residents of barangay Cogon in Bulusan, Sorsogon, on the other hand, are now served by a newly completed two-storey health station funded through the 2024 LGSF-SBDP. Replacing an aging health center damaged by successive typhoons, the new facility is better equipped to provide basic healthcare services to more than 480 beneficiaries.

For 2026, the LGSF-SBDP is set to expand its reach, with 1,297 additional projects already moving through the pre-procurement and procurement stages.

Through sustained monitoring and evaluation, the DILG continues to ensure that LGSF-SBDP projects implemented by local government units in insurgency-cleared barangays are completed effectively and translated into meaningful development outcomes for communities.

This is not clickbait. I mean it.

Most ‘medical findings’ these days flow from clinical studies whose outcomes are expressed in numbers, probabilities, and statistical analysis. I am not a doctor, but I understand numbers. Numbers ‘talk’ to me. The story that I hear from a recent ‘medical finding’ published by the American Heart Association is: You (reader) are too dumb to understand that we’re lying.

Prof. Ancel Keys was the original source of the worldwide belief that ‘Saturated fat in any amount is bad for your health’. In 1957, Keys published what he called The Seven Countries Study. It was nothing of the kind, and should really have been called the ‘Scattered Villages in Remote Areas and Selected US Railroad Workers Study’. He claimed that this Study proved that saturated fats caused heart disease. For some reason, most of the Medical Establishment and most governments on earth just believed him, despite the many holes in the Study. The Medical Establishment willfully or negligently deceived much of humanity for the past 70 years by endorsing Keys’s astonishingly bad science.

To prove his anti-saturated-fat beliefs, Keys conducted a much more rigorous study a few years later: the 1968-1973 Minnesota Coronary Experiment (MCE).

Unfortunately for Keys, the MCE soundly disproved his anti-saturated-fat thesis. There was NO difference in mortality between the saturated-fat and ‘healthy-fat’ groups; worse, those with the lowest cholesterol had higher mortality. So Keys did what you or I or any person of negotiable integrity would do: he took his name off the study and got his collaborator to bury it. It remained buried for 40 years. In the meantime, no one in the Medical Establishment asked, ‘by the way, Ancel, where are the results of your MCE that was supposed to confirm that saturated fat is bad?’

Today, members of the Medical Establishment not only stoutly refuse to admit their 70 years of bad advice regarding saturated fat, but they also release MORE bad advice. The general idea seems to be to discredit modern scientific findings that could make us healthier, so that we keep buying unnecessary drugs.

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Tirzepatide stand to make hundreds of billions for drug companies. Any lifestyle practice or diet that would help you lose weight without drugs would reduce those billions, wouldn’t it?

One such diet is the Keto Diet, a term we’ll use as shorthand for the group of diets whose practical result is to reduce carbohydrate intake and induce ketosis drastically, the conversion of body fat into ketones.

Ketones are a better body and brain fuel than glucose from carbohydrates. (See my previous articles on Metabolism.) The Keto Diet works and is well-supported by scientific studies and clinical trials.

That’s a lot of drugs, and hundreds of billions, if not trillions, of dollars currently made by Big Pharma, that broader public information on keto diets would endanger.

There is an ongoing campaign to misinform the public about the keto diet. Whoever is behind the campaign, one of their leading acolytes is the American Heart Association, which also insists we need 250 grams (1000 calories) of carbohydrate daily, thereby helping sell lots of diabetes, blood pressure, Parkinson’s, bipolar, and weight-loss drugs.

Do you sniff a Secret Conspiracy here? I’m not going to spell out my Conspiracy Theory for you, but you can figure it out for yourself. This is a continuing series on Basic Nutrition and Metabolism.

Next week: Don’t Trust the American Heart Association (Part 2)

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) remains confident the Philippines can achieve its goal of becoming an ‘agile export powerhouse’ by 2028, with the government banking on new free trade agreements (FTAs) to sustain export growth despite global economic uncertainties.

Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said completing pending FTAs with the European Union, Canada and Chile remains one of the administration’s top trade priorities, saying the agreements would significantly improve the competitiveness of Philippine exports.

‘Yes, we are on track. We just need to complete the free trade agreements so he’ll [President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] go down in history with 23 free trade agreements, the most ever,’ Roque told reporters on the sidelines of the DTI National Exporters Fair in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday.

She said broader preferential market access would help Philippine exporters compete more effectively with their counterparts in neighboring Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries.

‘Sometimes we get outbid by our ASEAN neighbors just because of the preferential tariff,’ she said.

The administration adopted the goal of making the Philippines an ‘agile export powerhouse’ under the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP), first unveiled in 2023.

However, export targets were revised downward last year to reflect a more challenging global trading environment.

Under the updated PEDP presented in December, the Export Development Council projects exports of $116.1 billion to $120.2 billion in 2026, $123.3 billion to $127.4 billion in 2027, and $132.8 billion to $135.1 billion by 2028.

The council said the revised projections take into account disruptions in global shipping routes and uncertainty over US tariff policies.

Roque said the DTI has yet to finalize updated export forecasts.

‘We don’t have figures regarding the exports yet, but we’re really discussing that now,’ she said.

Business groups have also warned that renewed tensions around the Strait of Hormuz could disrupt global shipping and increase freight costs, although the DTI said it continues to monitor developments.

Despite these risks, government economic managers remain optimistic.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee expects merchandise exports to grow by 3 percent in 2026, accelerate to 4 percent annually from 2027 to 2029, and reach 5 percent by 2030.

Latest trade data also indicate continued momentum. Preliminary figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed merchandise exports rose 7.6 percent year on year to $7.87 billion in May.

For the first five months of 2026, export earnings reached $37.87 billion, up 10.6 percent from the same period last year, with electronics accounting for more than half of total shipments.

A WANTED person linked to the massacre of 44 Special Action Force troopers in 2015 and the ambush that killed five policemen in Maguindanao del Sur earlier this year was arrested on Tuesday by joint police and military forces, police said.

Col. Michael John Mangahis, Maguindanao del Sur police director, on Wednesday identified the suspect as Muslimin Amilil, 45, an alleged bomb maker of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Dawlah Islamiya (DI) local terror groups.

‘He did not resist arrest when lawmen presented him with various arrest warrants for murder and frustrated murder charges,’ Mangahis said in a statement.

Amilil, a bomb-making student of the slain Malaysian terrorist Zulkipli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, and the slain DI leader Basit Usman, was arrested in his hideout in barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur, the same area where 44 Special Action Force personnel were killed in the 2015 operation to arrest Marwan.

Mangahis said Amilil served as the senior adviser to the Panenekelan Criminal Gang, an armed group operating in Maguindanao del Sur and involved in the ambush of police officers in Shariff Aguak last March, which killed five policemen and wounded three others.

Mangahis said Amilil identified himself as affiliated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) 128th Base Command. Amilil has warrants issued by local courts for numerous criminal cases, including murder, frustrated murder, robbery, attempted murder, and double murder.

‘Criminals must be brought to justice at all costs. Peace and order are nonnegotiable, and the rule of law is absolute-protecting the oppressed and holding accountable those who sow violence,’ Mangahis said.

In a separate operation, police and members of the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion arrested Amilil’s wife, Aiza Awab Amilil, in the nearby town of Shariff Saydona Mustapha, also in Maguindanao del Sur.

Seized from her house were five assault rifles, improvised bombs, and ammunition.

Amilil is now detained at the Mamasapano police detention facility, while his wife is held at the Shariff Saydona Mustapha police station lock-up. PNA

A TEACHERS’ and parents’ group on Wednesday urged the Marcos administration to address adolescent pregnancy as an urgent national concern and certify as priority legislation the proposed Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act.

The Parents and Teachers for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (PTApp) noted that 6.8 percent of Filipino girls aged 15 to 19 have already begun childbearing, while pregnancies among children aged 10 to 14 continue to rise, underscoring the need for stronger preventive measures.

In a statement, the group called on President Marcos to certify as urgent the proposed Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Act, first filed in Congress in 2017.

The group said the measure would strengthen efforts to prevent adolescent pregnancy by improving coordination among schools, parents, communities, healthcare providers, and government agencies, while expanding age-appropriate education and support services for young people.

‘Every teacher knows this reality: by the time young people reach adolescence, they are already receiving messages about relationships, their bodies, and sex through social media, classmates, online content, and the people around them. In my 30 years as an educator, there has never been a school year without a student becoming pregnant,’ said Maria Zaida Padullo, PTApp spokesperson in a press statement.

‘The question is not whether young people are learning. The question is whether they are learning from trusted adults in safe spaces. More often than not, our experience tells us the answer is no,’ added Padullo, principal of a public high school in Quezon City.

The appeal comes amid continuing public discussions on the proposed Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention bill and growing concern over child and adolescent pregnancies. Once enacted, the law would help ensure that young Filipinos receive age-appropriate information, access to support services, and stronger protection before a pregnancy occurs. Educators said the measure would also equip schools and families to guide young people in making informed and responsible decisions.

According to the Fifth Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study (YAFS 5), only one in eight Filipino youth has ever discussed sex at home, while 19 percent identified social media as their primary source of information about puberty.

‘This data is deeply concerning. It shows that many Filipino adolescents are at risk of being exposed to misinformation about sex, increasing their vulnerability to unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, sexual harassment, and abuse. As teachers, we witness these realities every day,’ Padullo said.

‘Families today are raising children in a world where they are constantly inundated with information that is often unfiltered and inaccurate. Schools should support parents by helping young people develop the knowledge and decision-making skills they need to protect themselves.’

YAFS 5 also found that while 70 percent of girls said they learned about puberty from their mothers, only 39 percent turn to their mothers when they have questions about sex, while 22 percent seek advice from friends. The gap is even more pronounced among boys, with nearly half saying they ask friends about sex, compared with only 12 percent who turn to their fathers and 11 percent to their mothers.

‘We cannot keep responding only after a child becomes pregnant. Protection begins before a crisis occurs. Young Filipinos deserve adults who are willing to guide them before misinformation, peer pressure, or exploitation takes hold,’ the group said.

THE Philippine Embassy celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the country’s bilateral relations with Vietnam through a gala dinner on July 9.

Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung graced the occasion, along with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Vietnam-Philippines Friendship Organization, and Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations. All Asean Missions were represented, together with heads of missions accredited to Manila, as well as those who have served in the Philippine capital, and heads of international organizations.

Recognizing their important contributions to the growth of the Philippines-Vietnam relations, the embassy honored five former ambassadors of the Southeast Asian country to Manila who attended.

In his speech, Ambassador Francisco Noel R. Fernandez III recalled the strategic beginnings of diplomatic relations in 1976, founded on mutual respect and commitment to development and prosperity.

He then recalled the elevation of relations to an Enhanced Strategic Partnership during the state visit of the General Secretary and President To Lam to the Philippines in June, and emphasized both sides’ ‘commitment to upholding multilateralism and international cooperation; adherence to international law; and upholding principles and obligations embodied in the United Nations Charter and the Asean Charter.’

Fernandez reiterated the importance of strengthening political, economic, cultural, and educational relations in the years ahead. He closed his speech with a toast to the further strengthening of bilateral relations.

In his remarks, Trung noted that the two countries ‘have steadily deepened trust, broadened cooperation, and are standing together as close neighbors, trusted strategic partners, and fellow members of the Asean Family.’ The foreign minister recalled that, prior to the establishment of relations, the Philippines and Vietnam were already connected by the sea, fostering relations underpinned by a shared aspiration for peace and development.

The Vietnamese government official then commented on the increase in trade and tourism cooperation between the two countries and reaffirmed Vietnam’s support for the Philippine Asean Chairmanship this year.

Trung also characterized the Philippines as ‘one of the most dynamic economies of Asean, a leading investment destination, a nation with an increasingly important position in the region and the world, and a contributor to regional peace, stability and prosperity.’

The foreign minister drew parallels between AmBisyon Natin 2040, and Vietnam’s 2040 economic goals. He likewise concluded his speech with a toast.

The embassy also played a video that documented the relations’ milestones since July 12, 1976. As dessert was served, Filipino teachers were invited to sing their renditions of original Pilipino music favorites.