Vatican Foreign Minister to Meet with Philippine President and CBCP Officials
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with the States of the Holy See, is set to visit the Philippines and meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and officials of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) from July 1 to July 6.
This marks the first official visit of a secretary for relations with states of the Holy See to the Philippines in the 72 years of diplomatic relations between the two entities, according to the DFA. The visit aims to emphasize the shared commitment of the Philippines and the Holy See to promoting peace, human rights, rule of law, and sustainable development.
During his visit, Gallagher has already met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including the protection of migrant rights and security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on the West Philippine Sea and Taiwan.
In addition to meeting with government officials, Gallagher is scheduled to address the plenary session of the CBCP in Malaybalay, Bukidnon province, and present a lecture on “Moral Governance and Ethical Leadership” as part of the Mabini Dialogue series organized by the Foreign Service Institute of the DFA.
Gallagher has served as the Secretary for Relations with the States of the Holy See since 2014, following his previous roles as the Holy See’s apostolic nuncio to Burundi, Guatemala, and Australia.
