Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 3) — The Philippine Embassy in the United States is still ironing out details of the planned visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Washington.
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“I have been talking to the White House and it’s all a matter of scheduling,” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Friday. “We are trying our best to put it together.”
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On Jan. 25, Romualdez said preparations were underway for the possible meeting between the two leaders, tentatively set for April this year.
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He said then that it remains to be seen if the meeting will be part of an official or state visit. A number of topics will be discussed from the economy to security, he noted.
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It’s not immediately clear if the schedule being considered is still sometime in April.
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Marcos and President Joe Biden first met in September last year on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
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Around seven months in office, Marcos already had a number of international trips. His trip to Japan later this month will be his ninth.
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The President said he is confident his overseas trips would provide a return on investment.
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READ: RECAP: Marcos’ int’l trips in first 7 months in office
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Romualdez said it has been eight years since a Philippine president visited the US, the last one being the late President Benigno Aquino III.
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The envoy said the foreign trips are important because they allow Marcos to interact with important people, especially those in the business community, as well as Filipinos living abroad.
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