(UPDATE) Sultan of Brunei arrives in Philippines for state visit

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah arrived at Metro Manila, the Philippines' capital region, today afternoon for a state visit.

Hassanal is expected to hold bilateral talks with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday.

Malacanang, the presidential palace, said the two-day state visit of Hassanal is in preparation for Brunei's assumption of the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and to reaffirm bilateral ties with the Philippines.

This is the Sultan of Brunei's first visit to the Philippines since 2009 and the first under the administration of Aquino, who visited Brunei twice since becoming President in 2010.