MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and United States President Donald Trump are set to hold bilateral talks in Manila next week, with potential new defense and cybersecurity cooperation agreements expected to highlight Washington’s renewed security commitments to the Philippines.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-ASEAN Office Executive Director Dominic Imperial confirmed Thursday that Trump is scheduled to arrive on November 17 for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, with a separate meeting with Marcos already included in his itinerary.
“President Trump is coming so there will definitely be a bilateral engagement between President Trump and President Marcos,” Imperial said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart.
While the DFA has yet to disclose the meeting’s agenda, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro earlier signaled possible announcements involving command and control systems, cybersecurity and intelligence-sharing capabilities.
Teodoro said the proposed initiatives would strengthen the Philippines’ cyber defenses, improve information technology resilience and facilitate the secure exchange of classified information with allied countries.
He also indicated that Washington could unveil new security commitments during Trump’s visit, emphasizing that assistance would involve equipment and operational capabilities rather than direct financial grants.
The anticipated discussions come as Manila seeks to strengthen its defense capabilities and deepen strategic cooperation with Washington amid continuing regional security challenges.
Trump is also expected to attend the ASEAN-US Special Summit, where Southeast Asian leaders and the American president will tackle pressing regional and international issues.
Meanwhile, Imperial disclosed that Marcos is scheduled to hold separate bilateral meetings with the leaders of Australia, Brazil, Japan and South Korea during the ASEAN-related gatherings./PN
