By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. told the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Vietnam that their presence in the southeast Asian country has been showing the strong Philippine-Vietnam relations.

“Isang patunay ng malapit na ugnayan ng ating dalawang bansa ay ang tinatawag nating people-to-people connections. At kayo, ang mga Pilipino na nandito sa Vietnam, ang patunay kung gaano kalapit ang ating mga bansa,” Marcos said during a meeting with the Filipino community in Vietnam.

“Kaya’t ako’y lubos na nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat dahil napapadali ang aking trabaho dahil sa magandang reputasyon na itinaguyod niyo sa pamamagitan ng inyong sipag at tiyaga dito sa Vietnam.”

The President also expressed his gratitude and said that OFWs have won admiration in different parts of the world, adding he that won’t be surprised if Vietnamese leaders also heaped praises on their performance.

The Philippines and Vietnam established formal diplomatic relations on July 12, 1976, with ties now spanning 47 years.

The two countries elevated international relations to a strategic partnership in 2015.

(el Amigo/MNM)