During the meeting, President Jokowi extended his appreciation to the Filipino Department of Transportation for its support and trust in Indonesian state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
"I would like to thank Secretary Bautista for the Philippines' trust in Indonesian SOEs as well as for this productive meeting," he remarked as quoted from a statement received from the Presidential Secretariat's Press Bureau in Jakarta.
The president noted that a joint venture contract involving Indonesian construction SOEs PT PP and PT Adhi Karya on the development of the North-South Commuter Railway Project in the Philippines had been signed recently.
Jokowi laid emphasis on the importance of Indonesia and the Philippines ensuring their commitment to making the project a success while expressing hope that the signing of the contract would immediately be followed by a groundbreaking ceremony.
"Additionally, I hope that the cooperation will be broadened to support the initiatives of the Indonesian and Filipino governments to expedite development," he noted.
Furthermore, he expressed hope that Indonesia and the Philippines would continue to intensify bilateral transportation cooperation.
The president expressed belief that the two countries would show continued mutual support while maintaining a sound level of communication and collaboration, including by facilitating business actors to participate in the transportation sector development.
Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and SOEs Minister Erick Thohir accompanied President Jokowi to the bilateral meeting.
The head of state arrived at the Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base, the Philippines, on Tuesday (January 10) at 8:05 local time.
On the following day, he attended a bilateral meeting with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacañang Palace, Manila. The meeting was held to bolster bilateral multi-sectoral cooperation while celebrating the 75th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic relations.
The meeting resulted in the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the energy sector.
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Translator: Yashinta Difa, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Arie Novarina
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