President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday hailed the United States’ willingness to work with the Philippine government “as an equal, sovereign partner”, noting that defense and security engagement remains the key pillar of Philippines-US bilateral relations.

Marcos made the remark during his meeting with members of the US Senate led by Senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and other members of the panel on Capitol Hill.

Marcos said engagements between Manila and Washington should not only take place at the executive level, but also with members of the legislature.

During the meeting, Marcos and the US Senate members discussed a wide range of issues that include security, defense, agriculture, climate change mitigation, economic cooperation and cyber security.

Other areas of cooperation between the two countries that need to be strengthened, Marcos said, include the supply chain, health and health security, environment, energy security and interconnectivity.

The meeting was part of the President’s ongoing five-day official visit to Washington, which included a series of high-level dialogues with US President Joseph Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Joining the President in Wednesday’s Capitol Hill meeting were Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique A. Manalo, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.

Among those who joined Menendez were Senator James Risch as well as other officials of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. (PNA)