President Bongbong Marcos Begins Official Visit to Washington DC

The US-Philippines Society welcomes the July 20-22 official visit to Washington by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and members of the Philippine presidential delegation. This marks the first visit to the United States by President Marcos since the election of President Donald Trump last November. And, it will be the first by a Southeast Asian head of state during the current Trump administration.

The Marcos visit offers an opportunity to reinforce mutual security commitments and strengthen the two nations’ capacity to meet regional challenges, including in the West Philippine Sea.

The Society encourages both sides to seek agreements on trade and tariffs that provide greater market access for American products and strengthen two-way trade and investment linkages in the face of global competition.

Further, the Society recalls that during President Trump’s 2017 visit to Manila he specifically endorsed the exploration of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. The strategic advantages of concluding an FTA now are more compelling than ever.

The US-Philippines Society supports tangible and productive outcomes from talks in Washington this week that enhance security ties, forge progress on trade and tariffs, and build a pathway to a more comprehensive and mutually beneficial agreement on bilateral trade and investment.