A one-on-one meeting between US President Donald Trump and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. is expected to take place soon, the Philippines’ top diplomat in Washington disclosed yesterday.
Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez told the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) that the White House would confirm details of the upcoming meeting.
“Obviously, with what’s happening right now, we probably may be able to expect some ideas on having this meeting sometime around the spring of this year. I wouldn’t want to put any fix date in it because, at the end of the day, it’s really a matter of the timing,” he said during the Prospects Forum at the Manila Diamond Hotel.
“President Marcos also is quite busy with the campaign here. So, we’d like to make sure that the timing is just perfect for both leaders to have that meeting,” Romualdez added.
The Philippine envoy emphasized that Mr. Marcos is eager to meet with his US counterpart and is prepared to fly to Washington as soon as Trump’s schedule allows.
Meanwhile, Romualdez expressed confidence in the continued strength of the US-Philippines alliance despite potential policy shifts under Trump’s administration.
He pointed to Washington’s recent decision to unfreeze $336 million in military aid for the Philippines, noting that the remaining portion of the $500 million package will be “under review.”
The ambassador also revealed that US Senator Bill Hagerty is advocating for an additional $2.5 billion in military assistance over the next four to five years to support the modernization of the Philippine armed forces.
Romualdez reiterated that the Philippine government is committed to being a true strategic partner of the US, working towards a mutually beneficial alliance.
