Manila, Aug. 5 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has welcomed the non-resident ambassadors of the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of The Gambia, and the Gabonese Republic, expressing optimism over expanding the Philippines' diplomatic and economic ties with the four nations.

During separate ceremonies in Malacanang on Tuesday, the ambassadors presented their letters of credence to the President, formally beginning their diplomatic missions to the Philippines.

The new envoys were Ambassadors-Designate Retselisitsoe Theko of Lesotho, Reinaldo Rafael Espinal of the Dominican Republic, Masanneh Nyuku Kinteh of The Gambia, and Landry Mboumba of Gabon.

In his meeting with Theko, Marcos said he hopes to deepen bil...