President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. flew to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday to attend the first Association of Southeast Asian Nations - Gulf Corporation Council (ASEAN-GCC) Summit.

Marcos left at around 7:30 am aboard Philippine Airlines. The summit will end on Friday. He arrived in Riyadh at 5:55 pm, Philippine time.

He will be meeting with ASEAN and GCC leaders to “discuss the challenges of major geopolitical developments and the comprehensive and concrete enhancement of our security, our economic progress, and socio-cultural collaboration.''

In his pre-departure message, Marcos said the summit would allow the country to push for its priorities in ASEAN while forging closer ties with the two regions.“This Summit will serve as an important platform for the Philippines to highlight the need for cooperation in energy and food security, logistics, supply chains, digital (transformation), the free flow of goods, people, and services, as well as the enhancement and protection of the rights, of course, of our overseas workers,” Marcos said.

“We will emphasize our advocacy for a rules-based international order to maintain peace and security, stability in our regions,” he added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS