President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday sent his cordial birthday wishes to Malaysian Prime Minister Amwar Ibrahim as he recalled the good times they spent together as ASEAN leaders.

In his video greetings posted in Youtube, Marcos valued his friendship with the Malaysian leader which, according to him, helped them bear the challenges of leadership in the region.

“To my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar, I am so happy to be able to greet you on your special day. We have known each other for some years now. Even before we assumed our roles as fellow leaders in ASEAN,” Marcos said on a Youtube birthday greeting on Sunday.

“Our friendship has helped make the challenges of leadership more bearable. Sometimes I dare say, even enjoyable. For me, you are more than just a neighbor in ASEAN, you are a trusted friend with whom I share many fond memories,” he added.

Recognizing their respective leading roles in the region and in the international community, Marcos commended the Prime Minister’s dedication to Malaysia and considered their shared vision, challenges, and success as source of inspiration to continue navigating the future of their respective nations.

“At this point in our lives, we have been charged to lead our respective nations and play important roles in this region and in the wider international community. Your unwavering dedication to Malaysia and our shared vision for the region have been a source of inspiration,” Marcos said.

“Together we have addressed numerous challenges and celebrated some successes. Much has been done, yet much is left to do. And I am glad that I have a dear friend with me as we navigate the uncertainties that lie ahead. From sharing the microphone at karaoke night to sharing the floor at the bilateral and multilateral levels, we’ve come some way,” he added.

Before he ended his message, Marcos expressed his gratitude to the Malaysian Prime Minister, citing opportunities, ideas and learnings they shared in steering the Philippines and Malaysia towards peace and prosperity.

He also emphasized how he values the bonds, wisdom, kindness and strength Anwar has imparted him.

“I’m grateful for every opportunity that we have had through the years to share ideas and to learn from each other’s experiences as we continue to steer our nation and the region towards a future of peace and prosperity before our peoples,” the President stated.

“On a personal note, I want to emphasize how much I value the bonds that our families share. Your wisdom, kindness, and strength have been invaluable to me. And I look forward to more years of friendship and cooperation,” he said. Presidential News Desk