President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed openness to discussing with the Russian government the possibility of allowing visa-free travel between the Philippines and Russia, saying he sees no major obstacles to pursuing such an arrangement.
Speaking to reporters in Kazan, Russia, Marcos said the Philippines has entered into similar agreements with other countries and could consider a similar deal with Moscow if it would benefit both nations.
“We did it with India, we’ve done it with China. If it’s something that we feel will be of advantage to both Russia and the Philippines, I don’t see why not,” the President said.
Marcos noted that expanding tourism and trade remains a priority, making a visa-free arrangement a potential area for future discussions.
“That’s become the method, the order of the day now. And we very much would like to increase our tourists trade. So, that’s something that down the road maybe we can look at,” he added.
However, the President said he was unable to raise the proposal during his brief stay in Kazan for the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit.
On the sidelines of the summit, Marcos held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of sustained political dialogue and expressed optimism over expanding cooperation in key areas, particularly energy and food security.
Marcos attended the summit as part of efforts to strengthen the Philippines’ engagement with Russia and explore opportunities for broader economic and diplomatic cooperation.
