KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb. 25 (PNA) — Among the major highlights of President Benigno S. Aquino III’s visit here this week is the signing of the cooperation agreement on cultural exchange and education, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Edgardo Malaya said.
Malaya told Radio TV Malacanang in an interview Monday that being close neighbors, the Philippines and Malaysia continue to work together to enhance their ties especially with the soon-to-materialize one ASEAN community in 2015.
President Aquino will arrive here in Malaysia this week for a two-day state visit.
“Hindi lang tayo very close neighbors tayo ay bumubuo ng one ASEAN community. Sa susunod na taon, 2015, ang magiging host ng ASEAN Summit ay Malaysia,” Malaya said.
“Itong mga agreements na ito at yung mga iba pa na dapat sumunod ay magpapalapit sa mga Malaysians at mga Filipinos.”
Malaysia is an active participant in the Philippines’s quest for long term peace in Mindanao, being the facilitator in the government-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace discussions since 2001.
Recently, the Philippine government and the MILF signed the final annex of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which will pave the way for the decommissioning of MILF forces.
Immediately after the signing of the Annex on Normalization, several Malaysian companies have shown interest on investing in Mindanao particularly on industrial development and agribusiness, Malaya said. (PNA)