Romualdez meets with Cambodian premier

HOUSE Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in a bid to boost ties between the Philippines and Cambodia. Romualdez is on a two-day official visit to Cambodia "to pursue the commitment of both countries to enhancing cooperation in rice trade, tourism, security and defense," the House chief's office said. "Collaborating with Cambodia, a leading rice exporter, will help us secure a steady supply of this vital commodity. Strengthening our food security not only protects Filipino families but also ensures our resilience in the face of extreme weather events," Romualdez said. He said that during the meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Cambodian prime minister at the sidelines of the Asean-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne in March this year, both sides agreed to boost rice trade. Both countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Romualdez's office said that the dialogue between the House chief and Hun Manet "extended to advancing mutual interests in tourism and people-to-people exchanges." Both officials "reaffirmed their commitment to working closely on issues affecting regional peace and security."