President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. returned to the Philippines early Monday morning, October 21, after attending the inauguration of Indonesia’s new President, Prabowo Subianto. Accompanied by First Lady Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos, the First Couple arrived in Manila around 4:45 a.m., following their visit to Jakarta. The trip was made upon the invitation of former Indonesian President Joko Widodo, whose son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was sworn in as Prabowo’s Vice President.
In an Instagram post, Marcos expressed his gratitude for being part of the event and emphasized the strong friendship and collaboration between the Philippines and Indonesia. “It was a special evening with our friends from the international community as we celebrated President Prabowo Subianto’s assumption of leadership,” Marcos wrote.
Prabowo’s inauguration was marked by heightened security, with over 100,000 personnel deployed across Jakarta to ensure the safety of attending state leaders, including Marcos and his wife.
The event underscores the deepening ties between the Philippines and Indonesia, as Prabowo’s first foreign visit as president-elect last month was to the Philippines. Similarly, Marcos’ first international trip as president in 2022 was to Indonesia. Both leaders have reiterated their commitment to working closely due to shared cultural and historical ties.