President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomed the newly designated ambassadors to the Philippines from Italy, India, Ireland, Finland, and the European Union (EU), expressing a desire to strengthen ties with their respective nations and entities.
In welcoming Italy’s Ambassador-designate Davide Giglio, Marcos expressed hopes for further strengthening the already established relationship between the Philippines and Italy.
“We all, of course, (we) are terribly very grateful to Italy for the show of support. And we consider it not just a show of support for the Philippines, but also to the rule of law and to make it very clear on that we are like-minded states,” President Marcos told Giglio referring to the visits of Italian ships in Manila this month.
In 2022, the Philippines and Italy marked 75 years of diplomatic relations. Last year, their trade totaled USD 1.2 billion, with Italy being the Philippines’ fourth-largest trading partner in the EU.
Marcos also acknowledged India’s Ambassador-designate Harsh Kumar Jain, reaffirming the Philippines’ long-standing friendship with India, while expressing hopes for deeper political, economic, and cultural ties. The trade between the two nations surpassed USD 3 billion last year, with Philippine exports exceeding USD 1 billion, positioning India as the Philippines’ 13th largest export market in 2023.
Additionally, Ireland’s Ambassador-designate Emma Hickey, Finland’s Ambassador Saija Nurminen, and the European Union’s Ambassador Mariomassimo Santoro also presented their credentials to Marcos.
