Formal Dinner hosted by the U.S.-Philippines Society (Speech)

Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
April 12, 2024
Acknowledging the U.S.-Philippines Society as a close partner of the Philippine Government and a staunch supporter in promoting bilateral relations in many areas, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. keynoted the formal dinner hosted by the Society in Washington, D.C. on April 12, 2024.
“For you following the developments in our relations with the United States, this visit is not at all surprising. During Secretary Blinken’s visit to Manila last month, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ricky Manalo aptly described our relations as being on hyperdrive for quite some time. Increased business sector linkages and people-to-people exchanges have matched the accelerated pace of our engagements across all levels of government and of society,” President Marcos Jr. said.
He discussed the remarkable progress in the two countries’ defense and security cooperation, particularly the largest iteration of the Balikatan exercises and expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), both of which are very significant to the Philippines’ ability to address security threats in at least three (3) ways.
“Through the U.S. assistance to and support for our Armed Forces’ modernization program; second, through frequent joint exercises training resulting in enhanced interoperability and honing the skills of our two militaries; and third, through increased deterrence by highlighting the strength of that alliance…I am further reassured by the commitments made to me by President Biden and his officials that the U.S., the United States, will stand by the Mutual Defense Treaty which has been described from the President down as ironclad,” he emphasized.
The Chief Executive also highlighted economic cooperation as a key pillar of the two countries’ relations, noting that “economic security is national security.” The country is actively seeking American partnership in critical minerals, clean energy especially nuclear energy to provide affordable and reliable energy for the entire Philippines, digital economy, semiconductors and critical infrastructure.
He cited his participation in the first Trilateral U.S.-Japan-Philippines Leaders’ Summit with his counterparts, President Joseph Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, which is a testament to the firm commitment among the three countries to expand relationships into new directions and create new synergies in addressing critical challenges and working towards uplifting the lives of their peoples.
“As I return to the Philippines tomorrow, I will bring the good news to our people that our alliance with the United States has become stronger, bolstered by our economic engagements, close people-to-people ties, and reinforced by our growing friendship and cooperation with like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region like Japan. More importantly, I bring home the commitment from our three countries to sustain the momentum of this increasingly close partnership in the years to come, all for the benefit of our people and for the security of our region,” President Marcos Jr. ended in his keynote message.
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