President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. received the newly appointed ambassadors from Italy, India, Ireland, Finland, and the European Union (EU) at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, expressing a desire to enhance diplomatic relations with their respective nations and organizations.
Among those received at Malacañang were Davide Giglio, Italy’s Ambassador-designate; Harsh Kumar Jain, India’s Ambassador-designate; Emma Hickey, Ireland’s Ambassador-designate; Saija Nurminen, Finland’s Ambassador; and Mariomassimo Santoro, the EU's Ambassador.
Marcos expressed confidence that Giglio will significantly enhance the dynamic relationship between the Philippines and Italy, hoping to further expand areas of cooperation.
In 2022, the Philippines and Italy marked the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. That year, total trade between the two countries amounted to US$1.2 billion.
Italy is the Philippines' fourth-largest trading partner in the European Union, with over 500 companies operating in the country that have Italian equity.
Meanwhile, recognizing the Philippines’ deep ties with India, Marcos expressed a commitment to enhancing political, economic, and cultural relationships.
In 2023, bilateral trade between the Philippines and India reached over US$3 billion, with Philippine exports surpassing US$1 billion, making India the country’s 13th largest export market.
Moreover, India and the Philippines have established strong defense ties, highlighted by the Department of National Defense's approval of a Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System (SBASMS) for PH Navy, with the first BrahMos Missile System delivery arriving last April.
