Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives Philippine Ambassador Meynardo Los Banos Montealegre. Photo: VOV.

Prime Minister Chinh received in Hanoi Philippine Ambassador Meynardo Los Banos Montealegre, who paid a farewell visit at the end of his term in Vietnam. The PM expressed his deepest condolences to the people of the Philippines for the heavy losses caused by recent storms and natural disasters. He affirmed Vietnam's readiness to help the Philippines to the best of its ability and decided to provide 2,000 tons of rice to the Philippines to overcome these difficulties.

PM Chinh urged both countries to promote trade and investment, consolidate cooperation on maritime and ocean affairs, climate change response, and search and rescue; and coordinate in handling incidents related to preventing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The Prime Minister requested that the Philippines continue to strongly support ASEAN's common stance on the East Sea issue; maintain peace, stability, freedom, security, and safety of maritime and air navigation in the East Sea. Vietnam and the Philippines should coordinate and support each other in regional and global forums, especially ASEAN, the UN, and APEC, he said.

The Ambassador expressed his deep sympathy for the losses suffered by the Vietnamese people due to recent natural disasters. Agreeing with the Prime Minister's remarks, he said the Philippines is committed to maintaining ASEAN unity and its centrality and hopes that Vietnam will support the Philippines' ASEAN chairmanship in 2026 and together maintain unity within the ASEAN community.