MANILA, Philippines — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is set to receive an honorary degree from the University of the Philippines on Thursday.
He arrived in Manila for his official visit on Wednesday. He is the first head of government hosted by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The Palace’s earlier statement noted that the two leaders will discuss “areas of mutual concern” as well as views on regional and international issues.
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Malaysia’s 10th PM will receive his degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the UP Theater in the university’s Diliman campus on March 2.
“[Anwar] is an internationally renowned expert on Jose Rizal and economics, democracy, freedom, governance, Islam, and democracy, and the need for accountability,” a statement from the UP Media and Public Relations Office read.
“He is respected for his principled stance against corruption and his management of the Malaysian economy during the Asian financial crisis.”
UP cited Anwar for his contributions that “saved the Malaysian economy” during the financial crisis in 2017, which also earned his accolades such as the “Asian of the Year” from Newsweek International.
Anwar also previously held other government positions in Malaysia and taught in various universities such as Oxford University, Johns Hopkins University and Georgetown University.
Anwar will also deliver a public lecture titled “30 Years After Asian Renaissance: Strategic Takeaways for ASEAN.” While in the Philippines, he will also meet members of the Malaysia diaspora here.
The Philippines is the fifth ASEAN member country that he has visited since being elected in November last year. It is Malaysia’s fifth biggest trading partner among ASEAN-member states, with USD9.42 billion in trade engagements logged in 2022. — Kaycee Valmonte