President Prabowo’s First Visit to Philippines Welcomed by Indonesian Diaspora
President Prabowo Subianto arrives in Cebu, the Philippines on Thursday (05/07)
President Prabowo Subianto on Thursday (05/07) arrived in Cebu, the Philippines, to attend the 48th ASEAN Summit. He received warm welcome from Indonesian diaspora in the Philippines, as he arrived at the hotel where he would be staying during his time in Cebu.
At the hotel entrance, two children in traditional attire handed a bouquet of flowers to the President upon his arrival.
Ronal Tasik, an Indonesian doctor living in Cebu, shared his enthusiasm to meet with President Prabowo in person. He said that the President is a warm figure and has close ties with Indonesian communities abroad.
“I was happy to able to meet the President, he was so friendly. He asked me where I came from and my name,” Ronald said after shaking hands with President Prabowo.
He also expressed his appreciation to the President for riding in a domestically manufactured Maung tactical vehicle during his state visit abroad.
“It is a meaningful moment to witness our leader proudly showcases a local product, an Indonesian-made product, innovation and technology of fellow Indonesians, on the international stage,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiment, Lili Yahya an Indonesian diaspora who have been living in Cebu for years said that she appreciated the President’s initiative to introduce the Maung tactical vehicle to the Philippines.
She added that Indonesian diaspora welcomed the arrival of President Prabowo Subianto with deep emotion and joy, as this was President Prabowo’s first visit to Cebu, the Philippines. She also expressed hope that the ASEAN Summit to be attended by the President would bring a positive impact to the relations between Indonesia and the Philippines and enhance the conditions of Indonesian diaspora in Cebu.
In the meantime, Romo Agus Sudaryanto, who has served as a pastor in Cebu for the past 15 years, described the occasion as a memorable experience for him. Until now, he had only watched presidential visits through video broadcasts, but on this occasion he was able to meet the President in person.
“For me, the President’s presence among Indonesian diaspora, particularly those living in Cebu, gave us impression that he is gaining global recognition, particularly among our neighboring countries, including the Philippines, where we live,” he said. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (RAS/MMB)
