MANILA – Legislators welcomed Sunday night a two-man congressional delegation from the United States (US) signifying the continuing effort from both countries to bolster long-standing bilateral relations.
A news release from the office of Speaker Martin Romualdez said Senator Imee Marcos and Representatives Rachel Arenas (3rd Dist., Pangasinan), Stella Quimbo (2nd Dist., Marikina), and Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata (1st Dist., Camarines Sur) met with the bipartisan US congressional delegation composed of Rep. Seth Moulton (Massachusetts-Democrat) and Mike Waltz (Florida-Republican) at the West Room of Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City.
Marcos and Arenas head the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively.
The visit of the US lawmakers, who are both members of the US House Committee on Armed Services, occurred as 2,550 US Marines and their 630 Filipino counterparts kicked off the first stage of their two-week joint military exercises - the first under the administration of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
The PH-US congressional delegations meeting took place on the heels of the Sept. 22 bilateral meeting between President Marcos Jr. and US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
During the bilateral meeting, Biden reaffirmed the commitment of the US to the defense of the Philippines. They also discussed the situation in the South China Sea and underscored their support for freedom of navigation and overflight and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Marcos and Biden also discussed opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues, including energy security, climate action, and infrastructure, as well as the Ukraine-Russia war and its implications for energy prices and food security, among others. (PNA)
