Marcos off to US for trilateral meet, to push for enhanced economic cooperation

President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. left for Washington DC on Wednesday afternoon for a trilateral meeting where he would highlight the economic cooperation among the Philippines, the United States, and Japan.

”During this Summit, I will underscore the importance of enhancing our economic cooperation, with a view of promoting economic resilience and of course, security,” Marcos said in his departure speech. 

”I intend to explore ways of advancing cooperation, especially in the areas of critical infrastructure, semiconductors, digitalization and cybersecurity, critical minerals, renewable energy, as well as defense and maritime cooperation,” he added. 

The plane carrying the President left Villamor Air Base at 2:56 p.m.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Vice President Sara Duterte, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III are designated government caretakers while Marcos is in the US.

The PCO did not give an explanation as to why there are three caretakers. 

Further, Marcos said it also his plan to exchange views with American and Japanese counterparts about various regional security issues of mutual concern, ”while continuing to reiterate the importance of upholding the rule of law and preserving the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.”

The President earlier said that talks about security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea would be the “essence” of this trip.

”Of course, security and defense is going to be part of that discussion but nonetheless, I think I can assure everyone that that is not the main intent of this trilateral agreement,” he said.

”The main intent of this trilateral agreement is for us to be able to continue to flourish, to be able to help one another, and of course, to keep the South China Sea as a freedom— to keep the peace in the South China Sea and the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,” he added. —KBK, GMA Integrated News