PBBM’s major assets: articulateness and eloquence

As I head back to Washington, D.C. after being in Manila for several weeks, I am very pleased to know that I will have a good working relationship with our new Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ric Manalo and his team. I also leave the Philippines knowing fully well that our new president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has a very remarkable grasp of the issues relative to our alliance with the United States.

For instance, the meeting between President Marcos Jr. and US State Secretary Antony Blinken augured a very good start for the relationship between the Philippines and the United States under the new administration. Secretary Blinken was very pleased with the President’s eloquence during the discussions that covered a wide range of issues of mutual concern.

I am certain our relationship with the United States is going to reach a higher level and will be at its best ever, especially with the new US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson deepening the friendship between our two countries even more. Ambassador Carlson is a seasoned career diplomat who is highly respected in Washington, D.C. With over three decades in the Foreign Service, she brings with her a wealth of experience and extensive knowledge about the region, having worked as deputy chief of mission in India and with assignments in China and Hong Kong, and also as Deputy Director of Korean Affairs. The arrival of Ambassador Carlson has been very well received not only by government officials but also prominent private individuals coming from different sectors and industries.

At the reception we hosted for the United States Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and his wife Betty, and also to welcome Ambassador Carlson and her husband Aubrey, I was pleased that First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos came to grace the occasion. The First Lady has that unique quality of having a lively, down-to-earth personality, and she turned out to be a hit with our guests of honor. We were also informed the First Lady hosted a Malacañang luncheon for the resident lady ambassadors in the Philippines and it was also such a big hit.

Capping my stay in Manila was the meeting with Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts who led a congressional delegation that include Congressmen Alan Lowenthal and John Garamendi of California’s 47th and 3rd districts, respectively; Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia and Congresswoman Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen from American Samoa.

The US delegation is part of the US-Philippines Congressional Friendship Caucus that was launched in 2021 as part of the various activities and initiatives to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and the Philippines. (To cap the yearlong celebration of the 75th anniversary, the Philippine embassy in Washington hosted last June the official launch of “The Philippines Matters for America/America Matters for the Philippines” publication which is an infographics project that sums up important aspects of the bilateral relations such as security, trade and investments, health and environment, development assistance, culture and people-to-people ties, among others.)

The meeting with Senator Markey went extremely well, with the other congressional delegates also impressed at how the President expressed his perspective over issues of mutual concern, with the President saying that he looks forward to continuing the partnership with the United States in the areas that include agricultural development, economic reform and mitigation of the drug problem.

As everyone knows, climate change is high on the priority list of President Marcos, who is pushing for a shift to renewable energy to mitigate the impact of climate change, lower the cost of electricity and prevent a looming power crisis in the country. Aside from being chairman of the East Asia, the Pacific and International Cybersecurity Policy Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Markey is also chairman of the Clean Air, Climate and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee of the Environment and Public Committee, making the discussions substantive.

In all the engagements with high-level officials of the US government who visited the country, the President has been extremely effective and it’s no surprise that many people, including myself, were very impressed with how he puts his ideas forward, and in the manner by which he handles matters of diplomacy.

Certainly, the articulateness and eloquence of President Bongbong Marcos are proving to be such great assets, and I am certainly looking forward to seeing him when he goes to the United States for an official visit. State leaders are also looking forward to his participation at the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York this September, with many expressing the desire to meet him personally.

The participation at the UNGA is something that we have been working at even early on with then foreign affairs secretary Teddyboy Locsin to make sure our new President is listed as one of the first speakers during the high-level General Debate that will start on Sept. 20.

Before my departure for Washington, I had meetings with the President, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and also had the opportunity to consult our elder statesman, Manong Juan Ponce Enrile, on matters related to our relationship with China and the United States. I must admit – these engagements have given me fresh impetus for the work at hand not only in keeping the relationship with the United States on an even keel, but in making sure our special ties redound to our mutual benefit. With President BBM at the helm, I am extremely confident that we will be able to achieve that.

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