MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. hit the ground running upon his arrival in Brunei, witnessing the signing of at least three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and one letter of intent (LoI) between the two governments for cooperation in various areas.

Marcos is in the sultanate for a two-day state visit.

The MoUs forged between the neighboring nations were efforts on boosting tourism cooperation between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam; on Mutual Recognition of Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW); and on maritime cooperation.

The LoI, meanwhile, was for the renewal of an MoU on food security and agricultural cooperation.

Said signing was done immediately after the chief executive's bilateral meeting with bilateral meeting with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

The MoU on tourism cooperation was signed between the Department of Tourism (DoT) and the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) of Brunei Darussalam, which aims to generate cooperative tourism projects and increase tourist arrivals between the two countries.

It also aims to support niche tourism development, particularly in the area of Islamic tourism and the promotion of Muslim friendly destinations.

Meanwhile, the MoU on STCW certificates allows the national agencies of the Philippines and Brunei to recognize the national certificates issued by both focal agencies of the two countries.

It also replaces and updates a prior MoU between the Philippines and Brunei signed in 2001.

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