Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 8 (ANI): Ferdinand R Marcos Jr, President of the Republic of the Philippines, met the Governor of Karnataka, Thaawarchand Gehlot, during his official visit to Bengaluru as part of his tour of India, the Raj Bhavan said in a release.

The Governor extended a warm welcome to President Marcos Jr. on behalf of the people of Karnataka and expressed appreciation for the deepening ties between India and the Philippines.

The interaction was 'cordial and meaningful', reflecting the shared commitment of both nations to strengthening diplomatic and cultural relations, as per the release.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, Chief Secretary to Government, Shalini Rajneesh, and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, President Marcos, on a state visit to India from August 4-8, said that the Philippines and India must continue to work to 'strengthen the resilience' of our world community.

He also emphasised the global importance of India's role as 'Vishwa Bandhu' (World's friend) and its impact on the people of the Philippines.

'When Prime Minister Modi assures the world that India intends to be 'Vishwa Bandhu', a friend to the world, we Filipino people feel his and the Indian people's sincerity. Looking ahead, the Philippines and India must continue to work to strengthen the resilience of our world community. Our diplomatic initiatives must buttress the current structures of global governance. These structures must withstand geopolitical shocks, remain incredible as providers of global goods and meaningful venues for nations to find common ground.'

President Marcos on Wednesday expressed sympathy for the victims of the Uttarakhand flash floods and reaffirmed the centuries-old friendship between the two nations.

'The Philippines is on the cusp of upper-middle income status attainable as early as next year. India, of course, can be proud of its spectacular rise under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the intellectual gravitas, innate talent, and industry of the Indian people rising to become the world's fourth-largest economy, and the country wielding enormous global influence as an emerging middle power,' Marcos said. (ANI)