MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Magandang hapon, Malacañang Press Corps, at welcome sa ating press briefing ngayong hapon, April 28.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s official visit to the United States is scheduled for next week. His itinerary will begin on Monday, May 1st with a meeting with US President Joe Biden followed by an expanded meeting with key Cabinet officials. The President will also attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Indonesia.
To give us an update on these, we are joined by the Department of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Maria Teresita Daza; Office of the American Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Gunther Emil Sales who is not really joining us right now; and Office of ASEAN Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Angelito Nayan.
Good afternoon to our DFA Officials. Okay. Go ahead, ma’am.
DFA SPOKESPERSON AMB. DAZA: Thank you for this opportunity, Daphne. Allow me just to give you an overview of the two trips that have been assigned us to talk on.
So in terms of President Marcos’ official visit to the United States, let me refresh you in terms of the press release raised a couple of days ago. President Marcos will travel to Washington D.C. from 30 April to 4 May 2023 on an official visit aimed at reaffirming the special relationship between the Philippines and the United States. As mentioned, the President’s itinerary will begin on May 1 with a meeting with US President Joe Biden, followed by an expanded meeting with key Cabinet officials.
The visit will reaffirm the bonds of friendship that give the foundation and significance with the many facets of the bilateral relationship underpinned by the close affinity shared by the Filipinos and Americans alike for many years. It will substantially progress efforts to further deepen relations and political ties to bring about lasting socioeconomic partnership as well as enhance defense and security cooperation.
The President is expected to advance Philippines’ socioeconomic development priorities and harness closer partnership in such areas as agriculture, energy, climate change, digital transformation and technology, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, supply chains and infrastructure. The US is a major bilateral trade and official development assistance partner and maintains a shared commitment with the Philippines for more dynamic economic relations.
Other scheduled activities of the President will include meetings with legislators, major US companies and business organizations and he will also deliver a major policy speech in a think tank in Washington D.C. While in Washington, he will also meet with members of the Filipino community who represent the Philippine-American Diaspora in the United States numbering some 4.4 million.
That is for the US trip. Allow me now to proceed with the visit and participation in the 42nd ASEAN Summit.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. along with leaders of ASEAN member-states will participate in the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia from 10 to 11 May 2023 at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, His Excellency Joko Widodo as this year’s ASEAN Chair under the theme: “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”.
The ASEAN Summit provides a platform for ASEAN leaders to discuss and exchange views on key regional issues and build consensus on matters of mutual interest and provide policy directions on ASEAN community-building efforts. The opening ceremony of the 42nd ASEAN Summit will be held in the morning of 10 May. Following the plenary session, a series of interfaces among ASEAN leaders and representatives and/or delegates of relevant ASEAN bodies are scheduled on the same day.
The ASEAN leaders will hold interfaces with the following: the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly or the AIPA, the ASEAN Youth Representatives, ASEAN Business Advisory Council or ASEAN-BAC, High-Level Task Force on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision.
Following the leaders’ decision on the application of Timor Leste for ASEAN’s membership at the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit in 2022, the ASEAN leaders are expected to adopt a roadmap on Timor Leste’s full membership in ASEAN at the 42nd ASEAN Summit. The Prime Minister of Timor Leste, Taur Matan Ruak is expected to attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit as an observer for the first time.
The President will also take part in the 15th Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asian Growth Area or BIMP-EAGA Summit which will be convened on the 11th of May 2023. The BIMP-EAGA Summit will be chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, and here, during this meeting, the President will discuss developments and the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025 towards promoting economic development, strengthening connectivity and the sustainable management of natural resources in the sub-region.
Expected after the meeting are some 16 outcome documents which are being targeted to be issued, adopted or noted during the meeting.
That concludes the overview of these two meetings.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Asec. Nayan, would you like to add something?
DFA-OAA DEPUTY ASEC. NAYAN: Thank you very much, Ma’am Daphne. Good to see you again members of the press corps whom I had the pleasure of meeting in UN General Summit last September. Good afternoon, thank you for this opportunity. Thank you, Spokesperson/Ambassador Daza, for the overview.
This is the fourth time Indonesia has assumed responsibility as chair of ASEAN, having been the ASEAN chair in 1976, 2003 and 2011 – and this year’s theme is “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”.
The President is expected to assert the importance of demonstrating ASEAN’s centrality in the region amidst geopolitical rivalries and advancing the Philippines’ priorities in ASEAN through regional and multilateral cooperation in areas such as long-term food and energy security, efforts towards economic recovery, combatting transnational crimes, upgrading of technical and vocational education and training, adopting climate and disaster resilient technologies and transitioning to renewable and alternative energy technologies and the protection of migrant workers among others.
You would be interested to hear that one of the important outcomes of the summit is a leader’s declaration on combatting trafficking in persons caused by the use and misuse of technology. The statement is yet to be finalized. But this is something that the Philippines fully supports, owing to our advocacy in ASEAN on the protection of migrant workers and the Philippines’ role as a lead shepherd for ASEAN cooperations against trafficking in person under the framework of the Senior Officials’ Meeting on Transnational Crime.
That’s it from my part. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, thank you. And now, we open the floor, we have Maricel Halili of TV 5.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Thank you, Ms. Daphne. Hi! Good afternoon, Ambassador, Sir Nayan.
Ambassador, you mentioned several issues that may be discussed by the President during his meeting in Washington. Aside from these issues, ano pa po iyong magiging focus ng discussion ni President Marcos with President Joe Biden? Are they going to discuss issues about EDCA, security, and China?
DFA SPOKESPERSON DAZA: Discussion on security and defense is given. It’s something that will actually be raised. But I think for this trip, there will be a heavy emphasis in terms of the economic agenda; how the President will actually work to advance his priorities in terms of agriculture and food security, in terms of infrastructure development, in terms of renewable energy, and clean energy. So, these are some of the sectors that will actually be highlighted during the visit itself.
As I mentioned, there will be several activities during the visit of the President. He will have his official meetings across the duration of his trip. But when it comes to President Biden, it will be on May 1.
He will also have an expanded bilateral. He will meet with different companies where he will actually be able to promote the Philippines, both as a trading partner, as well as investment market.
So there will be a lot of opportunities during the time that the President is in Washington, D.C. And I think he will cover various aspects of the relations. It’s not just defense and security; it will also be economic … promotion of economic interest and the like.
I think what will be underscored also is that while defense and security is actually very important, economic security is also equally important because if you have economic security, that will also promote political security and vice versa. So this [unclear] I think is what will also be underscored during the visit.
MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Ma’am, do we expect some agreements would be sealed or signed [technical problem]?
DFA SPOKESPERSON DAZA: Right now, Maricel, what I do know is there will be a joint statement that will be released between the two leaders – leaders’ joint statement. Though US will also come up with a fact sheet on bilateral relations. There may be one or two documents, but right now, I am not at liberty to talk about this.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Thank you, Maricel. We have Nestor Corrales.
NESTOR CORRALES: Good morning, Ambassador Daza. As a military ally of the United States, what commitment will President Marcos ask US President Joe Biden in the face of China’s persistent encroachment in Philippine waters and harassment of Philippine troops? Because just this Sunday, a China Coast Guard ship blocked a Philippine patrol vessel causing a frightening near collision of the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Malapascua with the Chinese ship near Ayungin Shoal. So, what particular commitment will the President ask his counterpart during their meeting?
DFA SPOKESPERSON DAZA: First, I would like to say, we take note of the PCG incident report. That was actually also raised in the media. I do want to backtrack a bit and say, in terms of DFA’s perspective, every time there’s an incident report, we await the official incident report coming from all relevant agency – PCG is one of which. And the DFA actually analyzes, and studies and analyzes, and makes an assessment of it. And based on that, based on this incident report, an appropriate diplomatic action is taken.
So, this has been ongoing quietly. Some actually have been raised in the press, but in terms of diplomatic action being undertaken by the department, this is continuing.
Now, in terms of the President’s visit and in terms of the South China Sea issue, I think the President – this is just … I cannot preempt the President, but I think the President will underscore what we want the waters to be. And we want the waters, the sea, particularly South China Sea and West Philippine Sea, to be a sea of peace, security and stability, and prosperity. Because if it’s a sea of peace, security, and stability, then the country can grow, then the region can grow and prosper.
So, we’re safe to assume that he will also count on the US to actually support Philippine efforts in terms of enhancing maritime cooperation, upholding international law and freedom of navigation and overflight, and promoting sustainable development of marine resources.
He would also I think underscore that from the perspective of the Philippines and members of the region, we are looking at great pars including the United States to calm the waters because as I earlier said, we want the waters to be a sea of peace. We are also very wary of possible miscalculations or further escalation of tensions in the region.
And in terms of the South China Sea, the President has always been consistent in saying that we will uphold our sovereignty and safeguard our sovereign rights and interest in the South China. And we will do this through diplomacy, military’s law enforcement, and public diplomacy action.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Thank you, Kristina Maralit.
KRISTINA MARALIT/MANILA TIMES: Good afternoon, Ma’am. Ma’am, in relation to the previous question, the President recently said in an interview that he wants the Mutual Defense Treaty to evolve. Has he given any specifics regarding this, kung ano iyong mga tweaks na gusto niyang mangyari with the Mutual Defense Treaty and, nasabi po niya which direction he was the Philippine government to take and will this be anchored on the current situation in the South China Sea?
AMBASSADOR DAZA: You’re right, Kristina. The President has come up with a statement, that there’s a need for partnership, not only within the United States, to evolve. And it’s important because the conditions are changing and there are a lot of challenges that are emerging; and to be relevant, any partnership has to evolve. But in terms of the specific, as to direction, I am not privy to specific instructions as to how this will evolve. But I do also know that if it is a matter of evolving our defense security relations, it’s not just DFA that will be involved. It will be other agencies as well, that will be involved in it, including of course the DND, the National Security Council and the like.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, back to Nestor Corrales.
NESTOR CORRALES: Ambassador Daza, has the Department of Foreign Affairs or the government activated the direct line communication with China to raise the recent near collision incident in the South China Sea?
AMBASSADOR DAZA: China used it after the laser incident, if you recall there was, it was—China communicated, they called and they raised their position and we also gave our position regarding the military-grade laser incident in the waters. So, that was one. But I also know that after the meeting there has been interest to actually activate different communication mechanisms. It is something that’s exactly being explored.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Eden Santos NET25.
EDEN SANTOS/ NET 25: Good afternoon po, Ma’am. Aside po iyong mga issue ng mga military, defense security, isa po sa mas inaabangan ng ating mga kababayan ay kung ano po iyong maaasahan ng mga Pilipino sa mga trips na ito ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Like sa investment, are we expecting po ng mas maraming malalagdaang deals sa US and even sa Indonesia? Alam naman natin na laging nakatutok ang pansin ng ating mga kababayan, specially mga kritiko ng administrasyon dito po sa mga biyahe pong ito, foreign trips ng ating Pangulo.
AMBASSADOR DAZA: Yes, Eden, and it’s a fair question, I think it’s important that we also know exactly what happens after. But it’s premature for me to actually say exactly what would come out of the visit. I do know that the President will be joined by the economic team and there will be different activities as I mentioned earlier. And through this, I’m sure that there may be some arrangement that would actually evolve. So, it’s something that will –I will ask you to wait a bit, and I’m sure PCO come out with releases relative to what has been accomplished during the meetings. The numerous meetings that will be held while the President is in Washington.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Racquel Bayan.
RACQUEL BAYAN/ RADYO PILIPINAS: Ma’am, good afternoon po. Will the President meet with the Filipino community in the US po?
AMBASSADOR DAZA: It’s safe to assume he will; it is a very big community. The community has actually contributed greatly to the United States economy and the like. So it is safe to assume that he will be meeting with the community which he has been doing actually in all his trips. It’s like a template in terms of the trip. The meeting with the community which the President enjoys, actually, is one of the things that is actually always included in the trip as schedule allowing.
RACQUEL BAYAN/ RADYO PILIPINAS: Do we have data po how many Filipinos are there in the US po, for D.C. alone, ma’am?
AMBASSADOR DAZA: For DC, allow me to check, if I can have it. But it’s 4 million that we have in terms of statistic. As of, okay let me get it right, as of June 2020, the US is a top destination in terms of overseas Filipinos. The number of Filipinos living in the US is estimated at 4.21 million making Filipinos the third largest Asian group in the country. A number of Americans of Filipino descent also hold public office is in the US. And among the top states with largest concentration of Filipinos or Filipino-Americans are California, which has about 1.6 million; Hawaii, which has roughly 372,000; Texas which has about 202,000; Washington, which has about 190,000 – I’m rounding it off ‘no; and Nevada, which has about 174,000, okay.
RACQUEL BAYAN/ RADYO PILIPINAS: Ma’am, last sorry po, who are the Cabinet officials that will be going to accompany the President in the US?
AMBASSADOR DAZA: The final list always comes closer to the date of the trip. But it’s also safe to assume that because the relations between the US and the Philippines is multifarious, it covers a lot of areas, he would bring with him of course, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, our Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of DND, most likely the National Security Council, members of the economic team and because of certain aspect, maybe the Secretary of Justice. The final list though is something that will be released in due course, and because he’s also meeting with the business community it’s safe to also assume that he will have some businessmen who may join him in the trip.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Ivan Mayrina GMA7.
IVAN MAYRINA / GMA7: Ambassador, if you could just please give us more details on the President’s schedule? I know you said he is going to meet of course with President Biden and he is going to meet with the Filipino community, but for the remaining days of the duration of the visit, who else is he going to meet with, and what other priority outcomes are set for this trip?
AMBASSADOR DAZA: Actually, I do want to give you the answers, except that when I was given the information I was told at this point, maybe we give a general overview of what will happen. And then closer to the date, I’m sure PCO, when you join the plane, would actually share with you some additional information. Suffice it to say that the President will have official meetings not only with President Biden. He will also be meeting with other government officials, then he will also have a business meeting. He will have the FilCom and then he will also have that policy speech that will be in one think tank in the United States.
IVAN MAYRINA / GMA7: Thank you.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Pia Gutierrez.
PIA GUTIERREZ: Hi, ma’am! Ma’am, is the President also expected to follow up on the earlier commitments that he was able to secure from American businesses during his last trip to the US last year?
AMBASSADOR DAZA: Maybe, since his economic team will be joining, that could be one of the things that will actually be undertaken by members of the economic team. But I’m sure that beyond what has actually been pledged, there’s something that has to follow through, but there will be other areas that will also be explored.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay, and I think we’re about to wrap up, we have one last one from Nestor Corrales again, Philippine Daily Inquirer.
NESTOR CORRALES /DAILY INQUIRER: Ambassador Daza, is the President already aware of the recent incident in the South China Sea? And what are his directives to the concerned government agencies?
AMBASSADOR DAZA: I think the directive has always been constant, that we’ll have to promote Philippine interest. And if there are intrusions, if there are illegal actions that are undertaken in our waters, that we do the necessary action; and from our perspective that would mean appropriate diplomatic actions, whether it be in terms of the issuance of note verbale or if necessary, a clarification or a meeting with concerned parties.
MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you, Ambassador Daza and Asec. Nayan for the briefing about President Marcos Jr.’s upcoming meeting in the US and the 40th ASEAN Summit. And thank you very much, Malacañang Press Corp.
We will be back shortly for another press briefing on the situation of the Filipinos from Sudan.
Thank you and good afternoon.
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SOURCE: News and Information Bureau – Transcription Section
