Villamor Air Base, Pasay City
April 30, 2023

“My visit is an important one, as they all are, because they are part of our efforts to further reinforce our already strong bonds with the United States by bringing our alliance into the 21st century,” remarked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his departure statement as he embarked on an Official Visit to the United States of America (USA)

The President is travelling to Washington, D.C. for a meeting with US President Joseph R. Biden, key Cabinet officials and legislators, which is set to reaffirm the Philippines and the United States’ commitment to foster their long-standing alliance as an instrument of peace and catalyst of development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

“I intend to convey to President Biden and his senior Cabinet officials that the [Philippines] is determined to forge an even stronger relationship with the United States in a wide range of areas that not only address concerns of our times, but also those that are critical to advancing our core interests,” he said, emphasizing that these areas cover food security, agricultural productivity, digital economy, energy security, cyber-security and climate change.

He will also raise concerns on resilience from economic threats, including global supply chain disruptions and economic coercion.

“Towards this end, one of my priorities for this visit is to push for greater economic engagement, particularly through trade and investment, science and technology, and innovation cooperation, between the United States and the Philippines,” he added.

As President Marcos Jr. is also expected to hold conferences with US companies and business groups, his visit intends to seek opportunities in the semiconductor industry, critical minerals, renewable and clean energy, as well as infrastructure projects that will improve the country’s digital and telecommunication systems and facilitate sustainability efforts to address climate change.

“The economic team and I shall be joined by key Filipino private sector leaders in exploring business opportunities that would serve to grow our economy even more,” he continued.

“While in Washington, I also look forward to meeting with our Filipino Community who maintain strong ties to the Philippines despite being away for very many years but continue to contribute towards the country’s economic prosperity,” he ended in his message.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Filipino community in the US “represent the Philippine-American Diaspora in the United States numbering some 4.4 million”.

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