Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (File photo by WILLY KURNIAWAN / POOL / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said he is headed to the United States this November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec).
This would be his third trip to the US as the Philippines’ Chief Executive. Marcos assumed the presidency on June 30, 2022.
The Apec is a regional economic forum of 21 countries, including the US and the Philippines.
“The Philippines is actively participating in Indo-Pacific economic framework, and APEC leaders meeting in San Francisco in November, I look forward joining fellow APEC leaders in California, later this year. This will be my third trip in US since I assumed office,” Marcos said during a courtesy call with members of the US-Asean Business Council.
According to Marcos, he will advance the country’s energy interests, saying that the Philippines is interested in sustainable land, water, and ocean solutions that align with climate goals.
“All efforts to increase the number of power sources lean towards clean energy. That being the case, I am interested in the potential of nuclear energy, especially in light of new technologies and innovations that allow the use of smaller scale, modular, nuclear reactors, and other advanced [reactors] technologies that we see as being safer and more efficient than the more traditional designs of nuclear power production,” said Marcos.
President Marcos first went to the US in September 2022 for the 77th United Nations General Assembly. This was followed last May, highlighted by a meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House.
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“By showing up our individual and collective capabilities, we are able to advance our countries as well, as the Indo-Pacific Region’s security, stability, and economic prosperity as the testament to positive momentum to our bilateral relations, President Biden and I, have identified concrete steps to ensure that our partnership and alliance remains relevant, responsive to current, emerging challenges to the defense, security, and economic spheres,” Marcos also said before members of the US-Asean Business Council.
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Marcos’ remarks came amid rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea after the Chinese Coast Guard fired water canon at Philippine Coast Guard vessels escorting boats carrying supplies for Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel aboard the ground BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal on August 5.
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