The trilateral phone call between President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and outgoing United States President Joe Biden has been postponed to Monday due to the fire in Los Angeles , the Palace said.

The trilateral phone call will now be set on 7 am Monday, Philippine time, President Communications Office Secretary Cesar Chavez said in a brief Viber message Sunday.

''It was conveyed that this was due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles,'' said Chavez.

Marcos, in a separate statement, voiced his concern over the fires which have been going on since Tuesday, where many Americans of Filipino ancestry reside. Deaths have risen to 16 and the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles have yet to find out how many Filipinos were affected.

''I extend my deepest sympathies to all who have been affected by the devastating wildfires in Southern California, USA, a place where many of our kababayans call home.'' said Marcos over social media.

In 2024, leaders of the Philippines, Japan, and the US held their first trilateral meeting in Washington to discuss cooperation in various sectors, including maritime security. DMS-Jaspearl Tan