NAGING matagumpay ang makasaysayang pagpupulong nina Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez at US Speaker Kevin McCarthy na ginanap sa Estados Unidos.

“Our meeting proved fruitful as the Philippine delegation managed to impress on Speaker McCarthy the need for the legislative representatives of the two countries to ramp up discussions on how to further boost US-Philippine relations,” ani Speaker Romualdez.

“Philippine-US relations remain strong. Our security alliance under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty is ironclad. Our economic partnership is robust. And the friendship between our two peoples is solid,” sabi pa ni Speaker Romualdez.

Ito ang unang paghaharap ng Speaker ng dalawang bansa sa nakalipas na mga taon.

Ayon kay Speaker Romualdez nagkasundo sila ni McCarthy na palakasin ang ugnayan at magpalitan ng mga best practice na kanilang magagamit sa kani-kanilang institusyon.

“We were thankful that the Speaker shared our ideals and agreed to continue similar discussions in the future,” dagdag pa ni Speaker Romualdez.

Inimbitahan din ni Speaker Romualdez si McCarthy na bumisita sa bansa at dumalo sa Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) na gaganapin sa Pilipinas.

Nagpulong ang dalawang Speaker sa US Capitol noong Miyerkoles ng gabi.

“Our message to the US legislators was clear. The US-Philippine relation is strong, and is reaching new heights and levels of understanding under the administrations of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and US President Joe Biden. Our defense and security arrangements are solid, and our bilateral strategic partnership is working,” sabi pa ni Romualdez.

“However, we also pointed out the need to step up bilateral discussions on economic issues to make the benefits of this dynamic relationship more tangible tenfold for our people. We need to strengthen not only our defense cooperation, but also our economic partnership,” dagdag pa nito.

Sinabi ni Speaker Romualdez na bukod sa pagpapanatili ng kapayapaan at katatagan sa rehiyon ay hangad din ng pagpapalakas ng relasyon ng Pilipinas at US ang pag-unlad ng mga residente nito.

Si Romualdez ay sinamahan sa pagpupulong nina Deputy Speaker at Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Majority Leader Jose Manuel Dalipe at Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez.

Kasama sa delegasyon ni Speaker Romualdez sina Navotas City Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco, Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Jose “Joboy” S. Aquino II, House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” Velasco, at House Sergeant-at-Arms PMGEN Napoleon Taas.

Nauna ng nakipagpulong ang delegasyon ni Romualdez sa mga lider ng US Congress kabilang sina US Majority Leader Steve Scalise, at Representatives Young Kim, Mike Rogers, Darrell Issa, Ami Bera, at Chris Stewart.

Matapos ang pakikipagpulong kay McCarthy ay pumunta si Speaker Romualdez sa Boston para paunlakan ang imbitasyon ng Harvard University.