President Rodrigo Duterte is set to leave the country again next week, this time for Vietnam.
The working visit to the Asian neighbor would likely find Duterte discussing maritime disputes over the South China Sea, according to Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. Vietnam is also among claimant countries of Spratly Islands.
President Duterte had previously said that he didn't intend to raise the country's maritime dispute with China in discussions with other ASEAN nations.
Meanwhile, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez confirmed that the President Duterte would also be visiting Japan soon.
Though plans were still being finalized, Lopez said the working visit to Japan may happen late October.
Lopez said the visit would be aimed at pushing for "greater trade activities."
It can be recalled that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had invited Duterte when they met during the ASEAN summit in Vientiane.