Marcos to visit Germany, Czech Republic next week

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to embark on another international trip, this time heading to Germany and the Czech Republic. 

The Presidential Communications Office announced on Thursday that Marcos and his wife, First Lady Maria Louise Araneta-Marcos, have been invited by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for a working visit and Czech President Petr Pavel for a state visit. 

These back-to-back visits are scheduled to take place from March 11 to March 15. 

The president’s trips to Germany and Czech Republic followed the visits to Manila of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in April 2023 and German Federal Minister Annalena Baerbock in January 2024. 

“This endeavor seeks to strengthen bilateral relations and foster increased cooperation with the two nations,” PCO said.

It added that Marcos will also meet with business leaders to bolster trade and investment opportunities and the Filipino communities there. 

Marcos returned to the country from Melbourne, Australia where he participated in the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, on Wednesday night. Last week, he was in Canberra to meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and address the Australian Parliament. 

His visits to Germany and Czech Republic will mark the chief executive’s fifth and sixth foreign trips this year. — Gaea Katreena Cabico