MANILA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has arrived in Manila for a three-day visit to the Philippines.
Dr Mahathir, who is accompanied by wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, was received by Philippines’ Information Technology Department cabinet secretary Elisio M. Rio, Jr.
Dr Mahathir and Dr Siti Hasmah arrived at the Bulwagang Kalayaan Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at 7.50pm (local time) and were met by the Embassy of Malaysia in the Philippines' deputy chief of mission Rizany Irwan Muhamad Mazlan and other senior Malaysian officers.
Malaysian delegates who are part of the visit are Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, International Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister Datuk Darell Leiking, as well as senior officers from Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and the ministries.
Dr Mahathir is scheduled to deliver a keynote address tomorrow (Thursday) at the Malaysian-Philippines business forum. At the same event, he is also scheduled to meet with the Philippines’ former president and Speaker Gloria Arroyo and Entrepreneurship Asean Business Advisory council president Jose Ma Concepcion III.
He will also be given the highest state honour of laying the wreath in an official ceremony at the Rizal Monument at the Rizal Park here.
Later in the evening, Dr Mahathir and the Malaysian delegation will be given an official welcoming and arrival ceremony at the Malacanang Palace hosted by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte.
At Malacanang, he will have a closed-door meeting with Duterte and both leaders are expected to issue a joint statement after the meeting.
Dr Mahathir is also scheduled to meet Malaysian diaspora in the Philippines including students on Friday, before returning to Kuala Lumpur.