12 April 2023, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei - Philippine Ambassador to Brunei H.E. Marian Jocelyn R. Tirol-Ignacio discussed new areas of cooperation in digital, maritime and air connectivity with Brunei Minister for Transportation and Infocommunication, YB Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha on 12 April 2023 at the Ministry of Transportation and Infocommunication (MTIC).

They recalled the successful Philippine hosting of the 3rd ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings held in Boracay, Malay, Aklan, Philippines on 9-10 February 2023. YB Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary led the Brunei delegation.

They spoke on the importance of connectivity as a priority under Wawasan 2035 and the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. Amb Ignacio pointed to the clear correlation between access to info-communications and socio-economic development, the multiple digital divides such as income, gender and generation divides, and the need for cooperation to address them.

Both cited the significance of private sector participation in enhancing and sustaining connectivity. Amb Ignacio congratulated Brunei on its Broadband Uplift Program. They spoke of the potential in the Asia Link Cable (ALC) participated in by Brunei’s United National Networks Sdn Bhd (UNN) and the Philippines’ Globe Telecom Inc. and DITO Telecommunity Corporation, and awaited further developments on the BIMP-EAGA Submarine and Terrestrial Cable (BEST) Project connecting BARMM to Brunei.

They agreed to cooperate in initiatives under the BIMP-EAGA and looked forward to the upcoming B2B BIMP-EAGA Expo 2023 hosted by the Brunei Darussalam BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BDBEBC).

Following productive discussions, Minister Shamhary and Amb Tirol-Ignacio committed to exploring future areas of collaboration including sharing best practices on land transportation, port operations and its potential for trade and business development, enhancing maritime and air connectivity between Brunei and MIndanao, particularly BARMM, and revisiting the 2015 Philippines-Brunei MOU on ICT and Multi-Media which expired in 2018.

Ambassador Tirol-Ignacio expressed her gratitude to Minister Shamhary for his warm reception and the productive discussions. She emphasized the importance of Philippines-Brunei relations and the potential for increased cooperation between the two countries.

Minister Shamhary, for his part, expressed his appreciation for the ambassador's visit and reaffirmed Brunei's commitment to strengthening economic relations with the Philippines.

The meeting was part of the Philippine Embassy's efforts to strengthen economic ties with Brunei and explore new opportunities for bilateral economic cooperation. END