Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez stressed the importance of strengthening defense and economic cooperation between the Philippines and the United States.
During the reception for members of the US-Philippines Friendship Caucus at the Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. last week, Romualdez said he was happy to be back in the US capital to engage in discussions with US lawmakers and other officials on the various aspects of the relations between the two countries, and the complex challenges confronting them.
“As we navigate these challenges, strengthening our defense and economic ties becomes even more crucial,” the leader of the 300-plus-strong Philippine House of Representatives said in a press release.
The US group that attended the event included Reps. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan of Northern Mariana Islands, Robert Scott of Virginia, Don Bacon of Nebraska, James Moylan of Guam, and Darrell Issa of California.
During his official visit to the United States, Romualdez also met Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Sen. Christopher Van Hollen of Maryland, Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama, Rep. Ami Bera of California, Rep. James Baird of Indiana, Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii, and Rep. Brad Sherman of California.
Aside from the Speaker, the Philippine delegation included senior deputy speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., deputy speaker David Suarez, Majority leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Agusan del Norte Rep. Jose Aquino II, House secretary general Reginald Velasco, ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano, House sergeant-at-arms (retired) P/MGen. Napoleon Taas, House deputy secretary generals Jennifer Baquiran, David Robert Amorin, and Sofonias Gabonada Jr., and other House officials and Philippine embassy officers.
Romualdez said the Philippines appreciates the support of the United States and its allies in the region and in Europe in confronting the challenges in the West Philippine Sea.
He pointed out that, in the case of the United States, its support extends to military assistance, including joint patrols and other activities, and humanitarian missions.
He stressed that expanding economic cooperation is important as well to help the Philippines sustain its economic growth.
Romualdez said the reauthorization of the Generalized System of Preferences would facilitate duty-free access of Philippine export products to the US market, which exports previously were valued at more than $2 billion annually.
Such exports not only supported jobs in the Philippines but benefited US consumers in terms of product accessibility and reasonable prices, he said.
The Speaker told his delegation’s US counterparts that he looks forward to more dialogues with them in expanding their collaboration to enhance the two nation’s relations, particularly in the area of defense and economic cooperation. ||
