Federated States of Micronesia President Wesley W. Simina, right, and Philippine Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. shake hands at the Malacañang Palace in Manila where they met on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023.
POHNPEI (Philippine Consulate General/Office of the FSM President) — On Friday, Oct. 13, Federated States of Micronesia President Wesley W. Simina met with his Philippine counterpart, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., at the Malacañang Palace in Manila.
At the outset of the meeting, Simina raised the matter of the labor deployment ban that has prohibited citizens of the Philippines to work in the FSM since 2018, noting the crippling effect that it has had on the business sector and the FSM’s workforce since its implementation.
The two governments have been working together to resolve the issue in recent years, and later, Marcos informed Simina that he was “happy to announce to you and the people of Micronesia that we are lifting that ban.” He said the incident that provoked the labor ban was an “isolated incident, and that’s why we feel confident that it is time to lift the ban to allow our people to go to Micronesia to work, should they choose.”
Simina conveyed his sincerest appreciation on behalf of the government and people of the FSM, for this much welcome outcome, and commended all involved who worked towards this positive resolution.
Simina and Marcos also discussed an array of issues of mutual importance, including further continuing the spirit of cooperation through the FSM’s support of the Philippines’ candidature for the United Nations Security Council as well as its candidate for the World Health Organization Regional Director of the Western Pacific post.
The meeting ended on a high note with both governments expressing sentiments of looking forward to further positive cooperation.
