Marcos Jr., Palau President discuss bilateral ties at Malacañang

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomed Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. at Malacañang Palace on Monday for a bilateral meeting.

The leaders are expected to discuss expanding existing collaborations in fisheries, trade, investment, connectivity, and people-to-people ties.

They will also explore new areas of cooperation, particularly in the health and labor sectors.

Discussions will encompass South-South cooperation, regional concerns, and shared advocacies in international forums.

The Philippines maintains a significant diaspora in Palau, with nearly 3,000 Filipinos forming about 17 percent of Palau's small population of 18,000.

Both countries will celebrate the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2027.

The Philippines and Palau have overlapping maritime territory claims, which they had agreed to resolve in 2021, but these talks were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.