President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo held a bilateral meeting with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, commonly known as Bongbong Marcos, at Malacañang Palace in Manila on January 10, 2024.
During the meeting, Jokowi said, three crucial topics were the main focus of discussion between he and Marcos Jr. The two leaders agreed to strengthen border cooperation while pushing for the accelerated revision of the border crossing agreement and border patrol agreement along the Indonesia-Philippines border.
They include agreements between the two nations regarding the legal basis for cross-border activities in the border region and the settlement of the continental shelf boundary as well as the strengthening of defense cooperation, including defense equipment.
Jokowi and Marcos Jr. concurred on boosting trade between the two countries and continuing their commitment to open market access.
“Indonesia seeks the support of the Philippines regarding a special ship guard measure for Indonesian coffee products,” stated Jokowi.
Jokowi also commended the Philippine government for entrusting Indonesian State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) with the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway Project (NSCR).
In this project, two contracts were won by a joint venture of two Indonesian BUMNs, namely PT Adhi Karya and PT Pembangunan Perumahan (PP).
The first project, CP S-01, involves the construction of a 1.2 km viaduct extension in Blumentrit worth IDR 3.2 trillion (US$ 206 million). The second project, CP S-03C, entails the construction of a 5.8 km viaduct with a value of nearly IDR 9 trillion.
Both contracts are part of the development of the 147 km NSCR stretching from Clark, Pampanga, to Calamba, Laguna, crossing the National Capital Region (NCR) and Metro Manila.
Moreover, Jokowi and Bongbong Marcos agreed to strengthen the centrality of ASEAN, emphasizing that it should not be merely a slogan.
“ASEAN must adhere to the principles of international law and maintain positive force to preserve peace, stability, and prosperity,” said Jokowi.
