Rick Houenipwela welcomes Johnny Sy’s appointment as Philippines Honorary Consul, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties and trade.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Rick Houenipwela, has congratulated Mr Johnny Sy on his appointment as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of the Philippines to Solomon Islands.
The Minister delivered his congratulatory remarks during the official ceremony of Mr Sy’s appointment at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) on Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
Houenipwela recognised the trust and confidence placed in Mr Sy by the Government of the Philippines to represent its interests in Solomon Islands, noting that the appointment provides an opportunity to further strengthen the friendship and mutually beneficial partnership between the two countries.
He highlighted potential areas for enhanced bilateral cooperation, including education, health, sustainable development, trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
Foreign Minister also emphasised the importance of Mr Sy’s role in promoting trade and investment opportunities, encouraging tourism and cultural exchanges, and strengthening business connections between Solomon Islands and the Philippines.
He also acknowledged the positive contribution of the Filipino community to Solomon Islands’ national development, particularly in fostering closer ties and understanding between the two peoples.
Hon. Houenipwela expressed confidence that Mr Sy’s experience in the private sector would contribute to advancing bilateral relations by facilitating investment, skills development and knowledge transfer for the benefit of Solomon Islands.
The Foreign Minister conevyed MFAET’s assurance to working closely with the Honorary Consul to strengthen cooperation and advance the shared interests of Solomon Islands and the Republic of the Philippines.
—MFAET PRESS RELEASE
