Marcos: I can't see Philippines in the future without US as its partner

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said he could not see the Philippines in the future without its long-time ally, the United States, as its partner.

Marcos mentioned this during the interview with John Tuttle, vice chairman and chief commercial officer of the New York Stock Exchange, during the NYSE economic forum on Tuesday (PHL time) in which he wooed foreign investors to invest in the Philippines.

"Just earlier today, we had a lunch that was hosted by the US-Philippines Society. And I spoke to them and we talked perhaps more on the subject of geopolitics and explained that it is very clear to me in my vision for the way that the country will move forward that I cannot see the Philippines in the future without having the United States as a partner," Marcos said.

"And although I was referring to the geopolitics of it and I was referring to the political situation in the region and around the world, that certainly does continue to apply in our exchanges in the economic front," he added.

As he stressed that the Philippines and the US' ties go back to over a hundred years, Marcos said many of the drivers of the Philippines' early economy were American firms and corporations.

"Many of the strongest corporate benefactors really to government and to the rest of society in the Philippines were coming from the United States," Marcos said.

"Now of course, this has evolved as time has gone on but the strength of that relationship continues. And we envision a further strengthening of those relationships," he added.

He said the political, economic and diplomatic relations that the two countries have forged will be extremely necessary as they provide the "stability in this highly unstable economic, political, geopolitical, diplomatic environment."

"I cannot overstate really the role that the United States has played in the Philippines in every aspect of our lives. And so this is just a continuing evolution and I believe strengthening that relationship between the United States and the Philippines," Marcos said.

"And we are driven together in many ways by forces that exist now in the world and that I think is something that is not — that we certainly in the Philippines and I think not in the United States either that we are resistant to," he added.

Marcos said the US is the Philippines' third largest trading partner and second major source of foreign direct investment applications in 2021.

He also said the US has been the country's "steady partners" as it transformed into one of the most promising emerging markets.

Marcos left Manila on Sunday for a working visit to the US. He earlier met the Filipino community in New Jersey.

On Wednesday morning (PHL time), he will deliver the national statement at the high level general debate during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Marcos on Sunday said he will talk about his administration’s goal for economic recovery, food security, and agricultural productivity during the 77th session of the UNGA.

Marcos will be back in the Philippines on September 24. —KG, GMA News