President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday received the credentials of the newly appointed envoys of Peru and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta during a ceremony at Malacañang Palace.
o, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Peru, was the first to present her credentials to Marcos. She is Peru’s first resident ambassador to the Philippines in more than 20 years, following the reopening of the Peruvian Embassy in Manila in 2025.
Marcos welcomed the development, saying the reopening of the embassy marked an important step in strengthening relations between Manila and Lima.
“The reopening of your embassy marks a very important landmark in the relationship between your country and mine,” Marcos said.
“And I am certain that with the reopening of the embassy, we will have many opportunities together to deepen, strengthen, and widen the relationship between Peru and the Philippines,” he added.
Araujo conveyed the greetings of Peruvian President Jose Maria Balcazar to the Filipino people and expressed hope for continued peace, prosperity, and stronger cooperation between the two countries.
“During my tenure as Ambassador of Peru, be assured of my heartfelt pledge to enhance engagement and cooperation towards building up our partnership,” she said.
The Philippines and Peru established diplomatic relations on Nov. 30, 1974, and will mark 52 years of bilateral ties this year.
Marcos also received the credentials of Maria Lourdes Bernadette Z. Banson as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta.
Banson was appointed to the post on November 5, 2025.
Marcos said he was optimistic that the Philippines and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta would further deepen cooperation, particularly in humanitarian and social programs.
“With your background in the Philippines, I am sure that there will be much that we can do together in furthering the ideals and the aspirations that the Order has been created for,” Marcos said.
Banson, for her part, relayed the greetings of Fra’ John Dunlap, Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta, and reaffirmed the Order’s commitment to helping the sick, the underprivileged, and vulnerable communities in the Philippines.
“Guided by our mission of service to the sick and the underprivileged, I remain fully committed to strengthening our partnership with the Philippine government,” she said.
She also paid tribute to her late father, Jose Maria Zaragoza, a National Artist for Architecture who also served as ambassador of the Order to the Philippines.
The Philippines and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta have maintained diplomatic relations for 61 years since ties were established on April 24, 1965.
The Order is known for its humanitarian and medical missions in more than 120 countries, including disaster response and assistance to vulnerable communities, refugees, and victims of armed conflict.
After the presentation of credentials, the two envoys separately met with Marcos at the Study Room to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.