Marcos Jr. arrives in LA ahead of meetings with Fil-Am community, business leaders

LOS ANGELES – President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. arrived here today (Saturday in Manila) for his first visit to Los Angeles as head of state, flying in from San Francisco, where he wrapped up his engagement in the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

The plane carrying Marcos and the Philippine delegation landed at the Los Angeles International Airport at 8:11 p.m. (12:11 p.m. in Manila) as a rainstorm moved in, ushering in a wet weekend for the more than 1,000 Filipino-American community leaders scheduled to attend a meeting with the president at the JV Marriott Los Angeles LA Live on Nov. 18.

Consul General Edgar Badajos led the consulate staff who welcomed the president at the airport.

The Philippine consulate in Los Angeles and the Presidential Communications Office have not released details about the Fil-Am community meeting, but sources said the president will be presenting awards to outstanding community leaders. Attendees were required to wear Filipiniana or business attire.

The meeting venue, about 20 miles from LAX, is in the heart of downtown LA and steps from the Los Angeles Convention Center. The 21,000-square-foot Platinum Ballroom can accommodate up to 2,300 guests.

Marcos’ Los Angeles visit is part of his third trip to the US and his 18th trip abroad
since assuming presidency on June 30 last year.

From Los Angeles, Marcos will proceed to Hawaii, where he will visit Indo-Pacific Command headquarters in Pearl Harbor on Oahu island to meet with Adm. John Aquilino, the commander of the US military base. He will also meet with investors and members of the Fil-Am community.

“Saturday (Nov. 18) is looking like a soggy day with a chance for a few isolated storms,” said NBC4 weather forecaster Belen de Leon. The rainstorm in Los Angeles will begin to taper off heading into Sunday.