Diplomatic corps wishes Marcos presidency well

MANILA, Philippines — Members of the diplomatic community yesterday vowed to cooperate with the administration of President Marcos and expressed hope that his government would achieve its aspirations.

Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Charles John Brown said Filipinos have placed their trust and their hopes for a prosperous, safe, equitable, and just future in Marcos.

“I know that I speak for all the diplomats gathered here with you this afternoon when I say that we, too, in the international community harbor the same hopes for your presidency and for your nation. And that we pledge our cooperation and collaboration with your administration in achieving the success of your mandate,” Brown said during the vin d’ honneur, a formal reception for diplomats, held after presidential inauguration at the National Museum in Manila.

“There will certainly be challenges as there are for every administration. But, Mr. President, you bring to the Office of the Presidency an extensive experience of many years in governmental service and your call for unity has resonated deeply and widely with the Filipino people,” he added.

The papal nuncio, the dean of the diplomatic corps, said Marcos began his term as president with “a strong note of hope and confidence in the future.”

“May God bless that future and make it fruitful for the good of the nation,” Brown said.

Marcos thanked members of the diplomatic corps for their kind wishes and for their offer to support the Philippines in the future.

The President said the transformation of the world economy and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic would be dependent on the Philippines’ partners and allies. Such partnerships would strengthen recovery and would make a more balanced and stable new global environment, he added.

“And I cannot think of a most – of a better beginning to a new administration than to be able to have determined the partnerships and strengthen the relationships between our countries. And that is something that we will work with very, very clearly,” Marcos said.

“We have seen and it has been proven to us very clearly in the past weeks and months, how interconnected the world is now, how interconnected the economies are, how interconnected the political systems are, how interconnected even our cultural and educational relationships are,” he added.

Marcos said he was struck by the importance that other countries have given on climate change, noting that all the envoys he has met with have offered help in terms of mitigation and adaptation to the phenomenon.

“It is something that is terribly important simply because for the Philippines, we are very much in the most vulnerable position... compared to many other countries. So I thank you all for that,” the President said.

Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos and their children Ferdinand Alexander, Joseph Simon and William Vincent greeted the guests from the diplomatic community who attended the inaugural ceremony. – Robertzon Ramirez