Vatican foreign minister to speak with Marcos, CBCP — DFA

MANILA, Philippines — The foreign minister of Vatican City is scheduled to meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and officials of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. 

In a statement on Monday, the DFA said that Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with the States of the Holy See, will be in the country from July 1 to July 6.

“The arrival of Archbishop Gallagher is the first official visit to the Philippines of a secretary for relations with states of the Holy See (i.e. foreign minister), in the 72 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Holy See,” DFA’s statement read.

"The meeting will serve as an opportunity to underscore the shared commitment of the Philippines and the Holy See to the promotion of peace, human rights, rule of law, and sustainable development," it added. 

As of writing, Gallagher has met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo to discuss bilateral and regional issues.

According to a report from the Philippine News Agency, Manalo stated that he and Gallagher will expand their prior discussions regarding the protection of migrant rights and security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, with a particular focus on the West Philippine Sea and Taiwan.

Gallagher is also scheduled to speak at the plenary session of the CBCP, taking place in Malaybalay, Bukidnon province.

He will also present a lecture titled "Moral Governance and Ethical Leadership" as part of the Mabini Dialogue series organized by the Foreign Service Institute of the DFA.

Gallagher has been the Secretary for Relations with the States of the Holy See since Nov. 8, 2014, succeeding now-Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.

Prior to his appointment to his current position, Gallagher was the Holy See’s apostolic nuncio to Burundi, Guatemala and Australia.