Malacañang confirms Marcos to have trilateral phone call with Biden, Shigeru

Malacañang on Thursday confirmed that President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. would have a trilateral phone call with the United States and Japan this weekend.

Presidential Communications Office Acting Secretary Cesar Chavez told reporters that the trilateral phone call among Marcos, US President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba would take place on Sunday, January 12.

''We can confirm that this is in the calendar of PBBM on January 12, Sunday,'' Chavez said.

The agenda of the trilateral phone call has not been disclosed yet by the Palace.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza told GMA News Online that the leaders are expected to discuss the process made on the Philippines-Japan-United States trilateral cooperation since their meeting last year.

''They are also expected to discuss economic matters as well as regional and global developments,'' Daza said.

Daza said no joint statement would be issued, however, each country will issue their own press readouts. 

The agenda of the trilateral phone call has not been disclosed yet both by the Palace and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In April of last year, the Philippines, the US, and Japan had a trilateral summit in Washington, D.C. The essence of the summit was about security and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

Marcos also said the US and Japan had vowed support for the infrastructure development and connectivity in the Philippines through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, the implementation of the Open Radio Access Network, workforce development for the semiconductor industry, capacity building in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the country’s membership in the Minerals Security Partnership Forum.

At the sidelines of the summit, Marcos and Biden had a bilateral talk wherein they affirmed their long-standing alliance. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News