“On behalf of the Filipino people, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is extending her best regards and goodwill to Crown Prince Sultan for his safe return after treatment and recovery abroad,” Roque told Madani at the meeting.

Crown Prince Sultan, who is also the first deputy prime minister, spent over a year undergoing medical treatment abroad. The prince, who returned to the Kingdom in December 2009, underwent surgery in New York in February last year and went to Morocco to recuperate.

Roque also extended Arroyo’s thanks for the pardon granted to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) imprisoned for petty crimes.

The Filipino official also thanked the Kingdom for the job opportunities given to OFWs. Madani expressed his appreciation for the contributions of OFWs to the Kingdom. An estimated 1.3 million Filipinos live in Saudi Arabia.

“We are happy that bilateral relations between the two countries have reached a high note and that it continues to expand,” said Ambassador Antonio P. Villamor, who accompanied Roque during the visit. Aside from the Kingdom being a major destination for OFWs, it is also the Philippines’ 12th largest trading partner.

As proof of strengthening bilateral ties, the Kingdom has been considering agricultural investment in southern Philippines.

Villamor attributed the strong bilateral ties to what Arroyo has been able to accomplish during her three visits to Saudi Arabia in the last three years.

Aside from Villamor, Labor Attachés Rustico S.M. dela Fuente of POLO-Riyadh, Des Dicang of POLO-Eastern Region, and Adam Musa of POLO-Central Region were with Roque during the visit.

On Saturday night, Villamor hosted a dinner for Roque at his residence inside the Diplomatic Quarter.