Tinalakay nina Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at US Secretary of State Marco Rubio ang pagpapalakas ng ugnayan ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos, kabilang ang mga usaping panrehiyon, seguridad, at kooperasyong pang-ekonomiya, sa kanilang pagpupulong sa Malacañang ngayong Miyerkules, Hulyo 22.
Nasa Maynila si Rubio upang dumalo sa ika-59 na Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Summits na pinangungunahan ng Pilipinas bilang chair ng ASEAN ngayong taon.
Ayon kay Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez, nakatuon ang pagpupulong sa pagpapalakas ng kooperasyon ng Pilipinas at US sa larangan ng depensa at ekonomiya, kung saan nagpasalamat din ang Pangulo sa patuloy na suporta ng US sa bansa.
“Generally, it was just mostly on strengthening of our relationship. The President, of course, expresses his gratitude to the continued support that we’ve been getting from the United States on all matters, not only in the defense but also on the economic front. So the general discussion was surrounding that,” ani Romualdez.
Ipinaabot naman ni Rubio ang personal na pagbati at mensahe ng suporta ni US President Donald Trump kay Pangulong Marcos Jr.
“Hopefully, President Trump will come in November during the ASEAN Leaders Summit,” ani Romualdez.
Kaugnay ng sitwasyon sa West Philippine Sea, sinabi ni Romualdez na nabanggit lamang ang isyu nang pahapyaw sa pagpupulong.
Gayunman, sinabi niyang nananatiling bahagi ng talakayan ng dalawang bansa ang China dahil sa mas malawak na usapin ng seguridad sa rehiyon.
“It was not really mentioned. It was just in passing. China of course has always been a situation, that is always part of the conversation in the sense that the hope is that countries will have a way to be able to persuade China to be able to respect the rule of law, international law of the seas and so forth and so on,” ayon kay Romualdez.
Samantala, ikinatuwa ng Pangulo ang pag-usad ng mahahalagang proyektong pang-ekonomiya ng Pilipinas-US, kabilang ang Luzon Economic Corridor at ang US-backed Pax Silica project.
“He’s very pleased that it’s moving quickly and that will definitely help the Philippine economy and our aspiration to have the kind of economic prosperity that we’ve been looking for because it spells economic security for us,” ani ambassador.
Ipinaliwanag naman ni Romualdez ang pahayag ng Pangulo na nabubuhay ang mundo sa “interesting times,” na aniya’y tumutukoy sa mga kasalukuyang global development at sa kahalagahan ng pagpapatibay ng ugnayan ng Pilipinas sa mga kaalyado nito.
“It’s interesting times in the sense that there’s so much of these things that are happening and hopefully the partnerships that we’ve had, not only with the United States but other countries as well, will be a source of comfort for us that we have a lot of allies and friends and partners all over the world,” paliwanag ni Romualdez.
Ang Pilipinas at US ay magkaalyado sa ilalim ng 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty at patuloy na pinalalawak ang kooperasyon sa depensa, imprastraktura, kalakalan, at mga strategic supply chain. – VC
