PH, Vietnam vow stronger protection for migrant workers

The Philippines and Vietnam have officially elevated their bilateral ties to an enhanced strategic partnership.

According to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), this was announced during the two-day state visit of Vietnamese President To Lam to the country from May 31 to June 1, 2026.

The PNA said this development aims to scale up regional defense synergy and strengthen grassroots community links between the two nations.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. hosted a ceremonial reception in Malacañang Palace and held high-level bilateral discussions with Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The talks between the two leaders focused on regional security and ASEAN integration, especially as Manila holds the 2026 ASEAN Chairship.

The PNA said two leaders reaffirmed their full support for advancing ASEAN community-building efforts through the full implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and its successor blueprint, ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future.

In a joint statement released following the meeting, the two leaders ighlighted the need to find creative synergies between distinct sub-regional frameworks, specifically the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) and the Mekong sub-region.

Manila and Hanoi have agreed to enhance coordination and mutual support for each other’s candidacy bids within international organizations, particularly the United Nations.

Marcos and Lam have identified people-to-people exchanges as a cornerstone of our Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

The leaders also pledged to intensify solidarity through local government partnerships, parliamentary friendship groups, and dedicated friendship organizations.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also noted that both countries have pledged to create highly favorable conditions for Vietnamese nationals in the Philippines and Filipinos in Vietnam.

This commitment ensures that citizens from both nations can live, work, and study safely, in accordance with local laws and international standards.

-Paraluman News