PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte and Indonesian President Joko Widodo met in Malacañang Palace for a bilateral meeting on Friday.
Both leaders were expected to raise issues concerning Indonesia and the Philippines, particularly on maritime and economic cooperation.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Duterte and Widodo would likely discuss matters that had already been brought up during their bilateral meeting in September 2016.
Duterte made a state visit to Indonesia in September last year to introduce himself as the new President of the Philippines and establish enhanced relations with Widodo.
"Leaders discussed a host of bilateral issues [in 2016], including security concerns in the Sulu-Sulawesi seas, the war on illicit drugs, maritime cooperation, enhancing economic ties, and intensifying people-to-people exchanges," Abella said in a statement.
"They are expected to continue discussions on these topics and exchange views on new areas of cooperation," he added.
Duterte would also grab the opportunity to discuss with Widodo the case of Mary Jane Veloso, a Filipina death row inmate in Indonesia.
The two leaders are also set to witness the signing of two bilateral agreements on agricultural and maritime cooperation.
Palace said memorandum of agreement on agricultural cooperation that would be signed aims to strengthen the development of both countries' agricultural sectors through cooperation on agricultural research, mutual consultation and assistance.
Also expected to be signed is the joint declaration on the establishment of sea connectivity between Davao or General Santos in the Philippines and Bitung in Indonesia.
The joint agreement encourages the establishment of direct sea connectivity between the cities involved, the designation of their ports for this purpose, regular consultation, and undertaking measures to ensure that certain safety standards are met. (VoxPop Philippines)
