US senator arriving in Phl to talk security, recovery

MANILA, Philippines - American Senator Marco Rubio is expected to arrive in the Philippines on Wednesday for his three-country Asia trip.

"Asia is vitally important to the future of America’s security and economic well-being," he said in a statement.

Rubio, a young Republican lawmaker and a ranking member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will meet with President Benigno Aquino III and other government officials to discuss critical economic and security issues.

"America must make sure that our rhetoric about increasing our presence in Asia does not come at the expense of enduring alliances and challenges in other parts of the world. The fact is that the United States has long been a Pacific power and it is vital that we maintain our robust military and diplomatic presence in the region while adapting to new realities," Rubio said.

Last week, Rubio's staff announced that the lawmaker will review ongoing typhoon recovery efforts as the Philippines faces the immense task of rebuilding after record Supertyphoon Yolanda last November.

Currently, Rubio is in Japan and held meetings with senior military officials on maritime disputes in the East China Sea as well as with business chambers.

The lawmaker will also travel to South Korea on Thursday to greet American troops and visit the Demilitarized Zone.