New Trump admin: US-Philippines commitments to carry on – Palace

FILE PHOTO: Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin. –  In an ambush interview on Thursday, November 7, 2024, Bersamin said there should be no worry about the commitments forged between the US and the Philippines during the Biden administration as it would continue under the incoming Trump administration. “The Philippines and America have shared history, and we have this desire [for] peace in this region, so I think the commitments will be followed through,” he said. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — There should be no worry about the commitments forged between the US and the Philippines during the Biden administration as it would continue under the incoming Trump administration.

Malacañang believes so, with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin saying: “The Philippines and America have shared history, and we have this desire [for] peace in this region, so I think the commitments will be followed through.”

Bersamin also said during the ambush interview on Thursday that there should be no problem with the West Philippine Sea issues under the anticipated fresh leadership of Donald Trump.

“I don’t think we have to worry about that because there is continuity in international relations. We do not see any more problems. We do not see any problem,” he noted.

Pressed further on what he thinks about the “ironclad” ties between the US and the Philippines under Trump, the executive secretary of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. replied: “Well, the description of ironclad is in the way America reads the Mutual Defense Treaty, so we will leave it at that. If they say it’s ironclad, we will be glad to agree with them.”

In an earlier statement, Marcos extended his congratulations to Trump for his imminent assumption as the 47th President of the US after beating incumbent Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris.

Marcos even said he is looking forward to working with Trump to further strengthen US-Philippines relations.