President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos on Monday said his foreign trips have been yielding trillions worth of investments and generating thousands of jobs for Filipinos.
In his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), the President reported that his previous trips abroad have yielded a ₱3.9 trillion investment which will result in the creation of 175,000 jobs.
"We have embarked on foreign trips to promote the interests of the country, for peace-building, and for mutually beneficial purposes," Marcos said.
"These economic missions have yielded an estimated total investment value of ₱3.9 trillion pesos or 71 billion US dollars with a potential to generate 175,000 jobs," he added.
In his first year in the presidency, Marcos visited eight countries for the purposes of state visits, working visits, official visits, and attending international events like ASEAN Summit, APEC-Eu Summit, and World Economic Forum.
These countries are Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Belgium, China, Switzerland, Japan, and the United State of America (USA).
He also visited the United Kingdom (UK) where he was invited to witness the coronation ceremony of King Charles II.
The President also mentioned that the bilateral and multilateral trade agreements he forged with ASEAN countries, and with Japan and Europe have allowed the country to "leverage competitive advantages and reap economic benefits".
"We will continue to forge more of these international partnerships that will lead to a more balanced trade strategy and a healthier economic position," he said.
Marcos underscored that his administration's independent foreign policy of "a friend to all and enemy of none" has been "proven effective."
"We have formed strategic alliances with our traditional and newfound partners in the international community," he added.
