Czech Republic Prime Minister Petr Fiala recently visited the Philippines for a two-day trip, which included a visit to the Rizal Park in Manila to honor national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. Fiala acknowledged Rizal’s “strong ties” with the Czech Republic, as he was close friends with Czech Professor Ferdinand Blumentritt, who was also an advocate of Philippine freedom. The Prime Minister also expressed interest in collaborations in various fields, such as agriculture, aviation, transportation, and space technologies, and hinted at opening the Czech Republic to Filipino migrant workers. Fiala and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. also launched a book that highlights the cultural and diplomatic exchanges between the Philippines and the Czech Republic. The two officials previously met in 2022 in Brussels, where they discussed cooperation in security and the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
