By ALFRED GABOT and CLAIRE MORALES TRUE

Editor in Chief and Managing Editor

WASHINGTON/MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. spoke for the first time with  United States President-elect Donald Trump over the phone on Tuesday, November 19, and discussed the longstanding alliance of their countries and how to strengthen further their relationship.

The conversation came as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III visited US and Filipino troops in Puerto Princesa, Palawan after signing an agreement for sharing of intelligence information with the Philippine Armed Forces. (See related stories)  

Interviewed during his visit to typhoon-hit Catanduanes, Marcos said he expressed to Trump the Philippines’ openness to further deepen relations with the US, the country’s oldest and strongest military ally. Earlier, Marcos congratulated Trump for his election victory.

Marcos said his inspection of the typhoon damage and relief distribution in Catanduanes was a bit delayed due to the conversation with Trump.

“I expressed to him our continuing desire to strengthen that relationship between our two countries, which is a relationship that is as deep as can possibly be because it has been for a very long time,” he said.

The President said he also expressed his intention to meet with Trump as soon as possible.

He added that he told Trump that Filipinos in the US voted “overwhelmingly” for him in the November 5 US elections which Trump won overwhelmingly. It was estimated that 1.2 million Filipino Americans participated in that election.

Trump is set for his inauguration as 47^th US president in ceremonies in Washington DC on January 20, 2025.

Before the inauguration, the certification of Trump’s win will be held on Dec. 17 when electors of the Electoral College will meet in their respective state capitals (and the District of Columbia) to formally cast their votes for president.

On Jan. 6, their votes will be formally counted before a joint session of Congress overseen by Vice President Kamala Harris, who will then certify Trump’s victory over her.

On Jan. 20, President Biden and VP Harris will leave office as Trump is inaugurated as the 47th president.

Marcos disclosed that Trump also inquired about his mother, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, who is a close friend of Trump.

“Ang kaibigan niya talaga mother ko. Kilalang-kilala niya ang mother ko. Kinukumusta niya, ‘How’s Imelda?’ Sabi ko binabati ka nga (It is really my mother who is his friend. He knows my mother very well. He asked how she is, ‘How’s Imelda?’ I said she is extending her congratulations),” he said.

Marcos admitted that they did not talk about the fears of a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in the US as announced by Trump but assured that the government is ready to assist affected Filipinos. It was estimated that there are 350,000 undocumented Filipinos who would be affected by the planned mass deportation.

“We didn’t talk about that. It was just a congratulatory call. But, of course, our ambassador is already working on that,” he said.

Marcos described his conversation with Trump as “very productive.”

“I am glad that I was able to do it and I think President-elect Trump was also happy to hear from the Philippines,” he said. 

“I also reminded the President-elect that ang mga Pilipino sa Amerika, overwhelmingly…binoto nila si Trump. Kaya’t I’m sure maaalala niya ‘yan, kapag nagkita kami at plano kong makipagkita sa kanya as soon as I can,” Marcos said

”Sabi niya siguro baka nasa White House na siya bago ako makapunta. But anyway, it was a very good call, it was a very friendly call, very productive, I am glad that I was able to do it and I think President-elect Trump was also happy to hear from the Philippines,” Marcos added.

Marcos has pivoted back to the US after ties soured under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who was openly hostile to the United States and favored China. Last year, Marcos visited the White House as he made the first official visit by a Philippine leader to the United States in more than 10 years.

The Philippines, a former U.S. colony, is seen as central to Washington’s efforts to counter China’s increasingly assertive policies in the South China Sea and towards Taiwan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier visited the Philippine military’s Western Command in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, next to the South China Sea, where he reiterated Washington’s commitment to the Philippines under their 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

The call between President  Marcos Jr. and US President-elect  Trump signals the “positive momentum and trajectory” in the two nations’ bilateral ties, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

In a statement, the DFA welcomed the call and reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to working with the US under the Trump administration to strengthen the overall relations of the two states.

“The United States remains an important ally, partner, and friend to the Philippines. We look forward to working with the Trump Administration in ensuring that Philippine-US relations remain robust and benefit from continuing positive momentum in security and defense cooperation, economic partnership, as well as broader and deeper engagement across other areas of mutual interest,” it said.

Under Marcos and outgoing US President Joe Biden, the bilateral relationship has grown by leaps and bounds. 

Austin has visited the Philippines four times, while State Secretary Antony Blinken has been to the Philippines thrice. 

Trump’s 2024 rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, has also been to the Philippines and is the highest-ranking American government official to have visited Palawan, a province that faces the West Philippine Sea.

Marcos, on the other hand, visited the US four times,  joining the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York where he first met Biden, state visit in the White House, visiting San Francisco for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Summit and the meeting in White House with Biden, and the Japanese prime minister.

Then President Trump, meanwhile, attended the APEC Leaders Summit in Manila in 2017 during the incumbency of President Duterte.

Shortly after Trump emerged victorious over Vice President and Democrat rival Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 US presidential election, Mr. Marcos said he looked forward to working with Trump “on a wide range of issues,” to “further strengthen our ties and promote peace, stability and prosperity across the Indo-Pacific region.”