Marcos holds phone call with Trump, says would like to meet him soonest
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told President-elect Donald Trump in a phone call he would like to visit the United States ''as soon'' as he can to discuss matters of interest between the two countries.
Marcos said his scheduled phone conversation with Trump was held Tuesday morning before he went to Catanduanes, which was hard hit by a super typhoon last weekend.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez told The Big Story Tuesday night that the phone call lasted ''maybe 10 to 15 minutes''.
Marcos said he called Trump to congratulate him on his victory, adding that he will visit the US at the soonest time.
"I plan to meet him as soon as I can," Marcos told reporters in an interview after his briefing at the Provincial Capitol in Catanduanes.
Other matters discussed were former First Lady Imelda Marcos and Filipino Americans, who voted for Trump.
''My mother is his friend. He knows her well. He greeted her. 'How is Imelda?' I said she is extending her congratulations,'' said Marcos.
"It was a very good call, it was a very friendly call, very productive. And I am glad that I was able to do it and I think President-elect Trump was also happy to hear from the Philippines'', Marcos said.
Trump, in response, said the meeting would probably happen after his inauguration in January 2025, according to Marcos.
Marcos said he also discussed with Trump the state of the Philippines-US alliance.
"I expressed to him our continuing desire to strengthen that relationship between our two countries, which is a relationship that is as deep as can possibly be because it has been for a very long time," he said.
They did not tackle immigration policies, which can affect Filipinos in the US.
"We didn’t talk about that. We didn’t talk about that. It was just a congratulatory call. But, of course, our ambassador is already working on that [issue]," Marcos said. DMS
