PHILIPPINE Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez yesterday said President Marcos Jr. may have a White House meeting with US President Joe Biden next year.
Romualdez said discussions between the two sides for such a meeting are already being conducted.
“The White House has told us that they would like very much President Marcos to come. But as always, the schedule of both leaders is very important,” Romualdez told ABS-CBN News Channel.
He said both sides are now threshing out the schedule of the two presidents.
Marcos first met Biden last September at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session in New York. The two also met at the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leader’s Summit last week.
In the same interview, Romualdez defended Marcos from criticism of his frequent travels abroad, saying he actually does not want to travel but has to do so since it is a must for diplomacy that leaders meet face-to-face.
“This President, I know he doesn’t want to travel. He told me many times, ‘I can’t keep on going out,’” Romualdez said.
“However, there’s a big difference whenever there is an in-person meeting, a face-to-face meeting. Our President needs to do that. We have told him that there are some commitments or some travel commitments that he really cannot avoid,” he added.
After attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok, Thailand, Marcos said the member-countries have invited him for a state visit
He also attended the 40th and 41st Asean Summits and Related Summits.
Next month, Marcos is set to travel to Brussels, Belgium to attend the Asean-European Union Summit. In January, he will go to China on a state visit.
Romualdez said he believes that Marcos would be a great spokesperson of the Asean, citing his articulacy in engaging with global leaders.
He said this articulateness has impressed many leaders Marcos have met.
“I think President Marcos would probably be — maybe I’m just being presumptuous — but would probably be the great spokesperson of the Asean leaders in the future,” he said.
“We can see now how articulate he can be and he can enhance the geopolitical situation, and I think that many of the leaders who have met him are very impressed with him,” he added.
Romualdez said he expects Marcos to play a major role in the regional bloc in the coming years.
