In an interview with a VOV reporter, Laura Q. Del Rosario, former Philippine Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador to Vietnam, highlighted food security—particularly the rice trade—as a bright spot of bilateral cooperation.
She called on both countries to strengthen collaboration in the green economy, noting the growing presence of Vietnamese electric vehicles in the Philippine market.
Tourism has emerged as another bright spot in bilateral ties. More than 482,000 Philippine visitors traveled to Vietnam last year, underscoring its appeal as a destination for Filipino tourists. The Philippines also overtook Malaysia for the first time to become one of Vietnam’s top 10 source markets for international visitors.
Ms. Del Rosario suggested that the two nations expand cooperation in culture, people-to-people exchanges, and security and defense.
