President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. opened his three-day official visit to the United States on Monday (Tuesday, PH Time) with back-to-back meetings with top executives of major US companies, pushing for deeper economic engagement and investment expansion in the Philippines.
Among those he met were leaders of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), Global Infrastructure Partners, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Cerberus, I Squared Capital, and global investment firm KKR.
The semiconductor industry is a key focus, with SIA representing a sector that accounts for 56.6 percent of Philippine exports to the US. Marcos first met with SIA officials in 2024 and reiterated that semiconductors and electronics remain a “priority” of his administration.
Infrastructure and healthcare were also on the agenda, with Marcos pitching the Luzon Economic Corridor and the country’s readiness to support US healthcare firms through its pool of highly trained professionals.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said companies that were present either had ongoing operations in the Philippines or were exploring expansion.
Marcos’s luncheon with Bon Secours Mercy Health CEO John Starcher focused on possible investment in health systems and health information management services.
Bon Secours, the fifth largest Catholic health system in the US, is also the largest private non-profit healthcare provider in Ireland.
On infrastructure, the president met with Global Infrastructure Partners, I Squared, and Cerberus — all active in energy, transport, and digital platforms — to discuss potential projects aligned with Philippine development goals.
Marcos is set to meet with US President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trade tensions are expected to take center stage, with Manila pushing for the rollback of a 20-percent tariff on Philippine exports.
Washington’s trade agenda remains fluid. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this week the Trump administration values deal quality over speed ahead of an August 1 deadline, when higher tariffs will hit non-compliant trade partners. – With a report from Reuters
