OVERVIEW OF PHILIPPINES-MALAYSIA BILATERAL RELATIONS

Formal Establishment of Relations:

18 May 1964
(Note: Philippine Legation established in 1959)

PH Head of State and Government

H.E. Rodrigo Roa Duterte

PH Foreign Affairs Secretary

H.E. Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr.

PH Ambassador to MY

Amb. Charles C. Jose
   15 April 2017 – Present
  (Replaced Amb. J. Eduardo Malaya)

My Head of State

His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah

MY Head of Government

H.E. Tan Sri Tun Dato' Haji Muhyiddin bin Haji Mohd. Yassin

MY Foreign Minister

H.E. YB Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein

MY Ambassador to PH

Amb. Norman bin Muhamad

    August 16, 2019 – Present

    (Replaced Amb. Dato’ Raszlan
    Abdul Rashid)

Relations between the Philippines and Malaysia are deep and longstanding, as the two countries are neighbors and partners in ASEAN, and the Filipino and Malaysian peoples have interacted since time immemorial.

Diplomatic relations began in 1959 when the Philippine legation was established in Kuala Lumpur, and was formally instituted as a consulate on 18 May 1964.

High-level Visits

The past few years saw a number of high-level visits by Philippine and Malaysian officials which further strengthened the two countries’ good bilateral ties.

Visits of the Heads of States:

Name of Official

Date and Purpose of the Visit

·       Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad

6-8 March 2019 – Official Visit

·       President Rodrigo Roa Duterte

14-16 July 2018 -  Official Visit

November 2016 - Part of PRRD’s Introductory Tour to the ASEAN Member States

·       Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak 

April and November 2017 - ASEAN Summit Events

November 2015 - APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting

March 2014 - Attended the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro

October 2012 - Witnessed the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro

·       President Benigno S. Aquino III

April 2015 - 26^th ASEAN Summit

November 2015 - 27^th ASEAN Summit

February 2014 – State Visit

Other high-level visits include the following:

Name of Official

Date and Purpose of the Visit

·       H.M. Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, Sultan of Johor 

11-13 July 2019 – Official Visit

·       Vice President Jejomar C. Binay

June 2014 - Attended the inauguration of the World Scout Kuala Lumpur Office

May 2012 – Official Visit

·       Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Peter S. Cayetano

12-16 July 2018 – Official Visit

August 2017 - Closing and turn-over ceremony of the 29^th South East Asian Games (SEA Games)

·       Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman

November 2016 -

September 2013 - Meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario

June 2013 - Working Visit to Manila/Meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario

·       Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario

August 2015 - ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

November 2015 - 27^th ASEAN Summit

February 2015 - Member of the delegation during PBSA’s State Visit to MY

31 March – 01 April 2011 - Introductory visit

Joint Commission Meeting (JCM)

In 1993, the Philippines and Malaysia established an over-arching coordinating mechanism, the Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC), which was later renamed as the Joint Commission Meeting (JCM).

The JCM created other mechanisms to further enhance cooperation in the political, economic, security, tourism, cultural and other fields. It has met seven times – in 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2006 and 2011.

Twenty agreements, protocols and declarations have been signed to date, covering education, culture, tourism, defense, consular, politico-security, the economy and the environment.