Arrival Statement by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. from his Working Visit to New York City, USA

Good afternoon. It is good to be now already on the tail end of a very productive Working Visit here in New York in the United States with the Philippine delegation.

I am happy to report that the outcomes of this visit to call for peace amidst tensions in the Middle East and other parts of the world, and of course, to campaign for our UN Security Council candidature.

Yesterday, I delivered the Philippine National Statement at the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, where we shared that the nation’s true progress is measured by the status and empowerment of its women.

I emphasized, amongst others, the importance of education, unity to confront violence against women in all forms, and ensuring that women are present wherever decisions are made, anywhere within government, within business, in science, in diplomacy, and in peacebuilding.

I also had a very good meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General Antońio Guterres, who I first met in 2022 on regional and global issues.

I also conveyed to him the Philippines’ enduring commitment to the UN and to multilateralism.

Earlier this morning, I addressed the 193 UN member states at the special session of the UN General Assembly, where I stressed the importance of the rule of law, multilateralism, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

I also spoke about the intertwined destiny of the Philippines and the United Nations, our shared values and principles, and the need to unite in addressing the humanitarian crises around the world.

I reiterated our request for support for the Philippines candidature for a non-permanent seat to the UN Security Council for the term 2027 to 2028, highlighting that the Philippines offers a voice from the Indo-Pacific, from developing countries, climate-vulnerable nations, and from middle-income countries and our commitment to South-South cooperation.

I also [inaudible] to share in this regard our priorities as ASEAN Chair.

I was also able to meet, just now, high-level representatives of the other UN member states at the diplomatic reception.

I hosted this to galvanize support for our Security Council candidature and to showcase once again that the Philippines has always been, since the very beginning of the United Nations in 1945, part of the solution to addressing global challenges and conflicts as a trusted and independent partner, pathfinder, and peacemaker.

On the sidelines of the visit, I also had the opportunity to meet with business leaders and investors. I met with a U.S. Medical Glove company to discuss their plans to build a manufacturing facility in the country. If realized, the project could create more than 2,000 Filipino jobs.

It will also allow us to produce essential medical supplies locally and to open new opportunities for Filipino workers in the growing global medical manufacturing industry.

I also met with senior leaders of JPMorgan in New York to discuss ongoing economic cooperation and [inaudible] global issues that are affecting financial markets.

The conversation covered heightened geopolitical tensions and their impact on global oil prices, as well as the broader implications for both advanced and emerging nations.

We emphasized the importance of sustained dialogue and cooperation amid increasing volatility in international markets.

JPMorgan also provided insights on the rapid advancements in AI and emphasized the growing need for governments and institutions to prepare for the transformative effects of AI on economics, industry and labor markets.

The exchange underscored the growing importance of technological readiness, cybersecurity resilience, and workforce upskilling in order to remain competitive in a fast-changing global environment.

Sa pagtatapos ng ating pagbisita sa New York, ipapagpatuloy natin ang paglilingkod sa bayan nang mas mulat sa mga bagong kaalaman, pamamaraan, at mga ugnayang ating [inaudible] habang nandidito.

Our engagements in the UN and other multilateral fora complement our efforts to enrich bilateral relations with countries around the world. We do as well want to enhance regional solidarity, chiefly through ASEAN.

Thank you.

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