In celebration of the 22nd Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day, Philippine Ambassador to Spain Philippe Lhuillier announced that King Felipe VI of Spain has accepted an invitation to visit the Philippines. This significant development was shared during a diplomatic reception at the Hotel Intercontinental Madrid.
“I was in the Foreign Ministry yesterday and we were talking about the trip so hopefully he will come soon,” said Ambassador Lhuillier in an ABS-CBN News report. “The biggest advantage we have is that he has written me personally, a nice letter saying he has accepted the invitation and the whole Foreign Ministry was surprised that he did.”
He added, “The king is going to the Philippines, we have invited the King to visit the Philippines, and he said yes, we don’t know when, hopefully this year or the first part of next year. We’ll give you the news when we know the actual date, but at least, it’s moving.”
Diego Martínez Belío, Spanish Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs, was the guest of honor at the reception. In his speech, Belío highlighted the plans for high-level visits between Spain and the Philippines in the coming months to strengthen bilateral investments and commerce. He emphasized the collaborations between the two countries in trade, education, and culture.
“The Philippines is one of Spain’s most important partners in ASEAN, and the Instituto Cervantes in Manila is among the top institutions worldwide for teaching the Spanish language,” Belío noted.
Representatives from major Filipino investments in Spain, such as Jollibee and Emperador, also attended the event, showcasing their products.
The Philippine Embassy in Spain, in coordination with the Spanish government, will prepare for King Felipe VI’s visit as soon as possible. “The love of Spain and the Philippines is very strong now, and I believe it will be stronger,” Lhuillier remarked, expressing his optimism for the future of the bilateral relationship.
Belío concluded the event with a toast, stating, “Today is an opportunity to look forward, express our dedication to building deeper relations for the continued benefit of our peoples, and promote mutual development. I would like to end my words by thanking the Ambassador again for his invitation to this event and toast to the excellence of our bilateral relations.”
