MANILA, Philippines – Brunei’s Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah arrived in Manila on Wednesday, April 26, for a state visit and the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. 

Bolkiah landed at the Ages Hangar at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at around 6:45 pm on Wednesday. He was welcomed by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.

He will be the second head of government to visit the Philippines after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s January visit.

Bolkiah’s state visit will be from Wednesday to April 28, Friday. On Saturday, he will participate in the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit along with 9 other Southeast Asian leaders. (IN PHOTOS: How Duterte bonded with ASEAN leaders)

On Thursday, his first full day in Manila, Bolkiah will lay a wreath at the Rizal Park in the afternoon. This is a tradition for visiting heads of state or government.

Bolkiah will then head to Malacañang where he will be given arrival honors and welcomed by President Rodrigo Duterte. There, he will sign the Palace Guest Book, another tradition, and then have an expanded bilateral meeting with Duterte and other Philippine officials. 

The two leaders will sign some documents before they issue issue a joint statement. This will be followed by a state banquet hosted by Duterte in the Sultan’s honor.

Bolkiah will have “private time” on Friday, the day before the ASEAN summit. 

Duterte went on a state visit to Brunei in October 2016. Brunei was supposed to be Duterte’s first foreign destination as Chief Executive in September, but he had to postpone it because of the terror attack on a Davao City night market. – Rappler.com