Bongbong Marcos arrives in San Francisco for weeklong US trip

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his speech at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, before departing for the United States for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). (Photo by RYAN LEAGOGO / INQUIRER.net)

SAN FRANCISCO — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived here on Wednesday morning (Philippine time) for his weeklong trip to the United States to attend the 2023 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders’ Summit, including working visits to Los Angeles and Hawaii.

It was 18°C here as flight PR001, carrying Marcos and the Philippine delegation, arrived at the San Francisco International Airport at 9:05 a.m. (Philippine time).

Among those who joined the President’s trip were First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

On his first day here, Marcos will meet with the Filipino community.

The US is home to about 4.2 million Filipinos.

During the Apec summit, Marcos will meet with the leaders 21 leaders of the member economies to advance the Philippines’ interests on various issues.

READ: Marcos likely to raise South China Sea dispute in US visit

READ: Bongbong Marcos reiterates joint security agenda of US, SoKor, and Japan amid sea row 

“We will be engaging with the leaders of economies of the Asia-Pacific region to agree on how we can achieve food and energy security, economic inclusion of our micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), women, indigenous people, and other segments whose economic potential remains to be unlocked through digitalization and innovation, and sustainable development and addressing the climate change crisis,” he said in his departure speech at the Villamor Air Base.

He will also lead a Philippine economic briefing and meet with top US companies.

After the Apec summit, the chief executive will also be on a working visit to Los Angeles on Nov. 17 and 18 to meet with business leaders and the Filipino community there before heading to Honolulu in Hawaii.

While in Hawaii, the President will visit Indo-Pacific Command headquarters, where he will likely raise the South China Sea dispute with top US security officials.

He will also meet with investors and the Filipino community there.

Marcos will visit the US Indo-Pacific Command headquarters in Pearl Harbor on Oahu island to meet with Adm. John Aquilino, the commander of the US military base.

Foreign Undersecretary Charles Jose said the president’s trip to the US military headquarters would add “a layer to the cooperation that we are trying to establish with like-minded states to promote what we have been advocating all along – a rules-based order, especially in the maritime areas.”

Marcos’ visit to the US military base comes in the face of Beijing’s growing aggression in the South China Sea.

The president’s trip to San Francisco is his third time in the US and his 18th trip abroad since assuming office on June 30 last year.