President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Sunday left for Phnom Penh for a state visit aimed at strengthening Philippine-Cambodian trade relations, advancing cooperation against transnational crime and seeking support for the country’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.

Marcos is visiting Cambodia upon the invitation of King Norodom Sihamoni.

He will hold talks with Senate President Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet, meet with Filipino and Cambodian business leaders to deepen trade and investment cooperation, and address the Filipino community in Phnom Penh.

In his pre-departure statement, Marcos said the visit will build on Hun Manet’s February trip to Manila and provide an opportunity to diversify cooperation in defense, agriculture, commerce, and heritage preservation.

“Through intensified defense and security cooperation with Cambodia, we hope to uphold a peaceful, stable and resilient ASEAN community,” he said.

The President also underscored the centuries-old friendship between Filipinos and Cambodians, noting the presence of about 7,500 overseas Filipinos in Cambodia and the government’s scholarship support for Cambodian students in science and technology fields.

The visit, the first by a Philippine president to Cambodia in nearly nine years, reaffirms Manila’s commitment to ASEAN centrality and its readiness to foster a “progressive and inclusive” region.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III were designated as government caretakers during the President’s trip abroad. (PNA)