MATAPOS makausap ang mga mambabatas ng Estados Unidos, kumpiyansang sinabi ni Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez na ang relasyon ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos ay lalo pang titibay sa ilalim ng administrasyon nina Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at US Pres. Joe Biden.

Naramdaman umano ito ni Speaker Romualdez at ng delegasyon ng Kamara de Representantes matapos nilang maka-usap ni US House Majority Leader Steve Scalise sa Office of the Majority Leader sa US Capitol sa Washington DC.

Si Scalise ang kinatawan ng unang distrito ng Louisiana.

“We, from the House of Representatives in Manila thank Majority Leader Scalise for his warm welcome, his kind words, and most importantly his commitment to further strengthening Philippine and US ties in various aspects. It was a fruitful and engaging meeting, to say the very least, and feel that we are reaching new heights and levels of understanding,” ani Speaker Romualdez.

“This solidifies the good working relationship between President Marcos and President Biden. Rest assured that legislators from both sides of the fence will follow through with the necessary work so that the benefits of this dynamic relationship would become more tangible tenfold,” sabi pa ni Speaker Romualdez na kinatawan ng unang distrito ng Leyte.

Ganito rin ang tono ng pahayag ni House Majority Leader at Zamboanga City 2nd District Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe.

“”It was an emboldening experience as a Filipino official to be on the same page with a high-ranking official in the US Capitol,” ani Dalipe.

Kasama nina Romualdez at Dalipe sa pakikipag-usap kay Scalise sina House Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. ng ikatlong distrito ng Pampanga, Navotas City Rep. Tobias “Toby” Tiangco, Agusan del Norte 1st District Rep. Jose “Joboy” S. Aquino II, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” del Gallego Romualdez, House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” Velasco, at House Sergeant-at-Arms PMGEN. Napoleon Taas.

Nakipagpulong din ang delegasyon ni Romualdez kina US Reps. Darrell Issa, Ami Bera, Mike Rogers (chairman ng House Armed Services Committee), Christian Stewart; at Utah Atty. Gen. Sean David Reyes, isang Filipino-American.

Tinalakay sa pulong ang mga estratehiya sa pagpapalakas ng kooperasyong pang-ekonomiya, ugnayang pangdepensa at pangseguridad ng Pilipinas at Amerrika.

“The majority leader [was] delighted to see the delegation. The Philippine government under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has reintegrated relations [with the] US to provide stability, peace, and prosperity, especially in enhancing our capability for defense and stronger economic security,” sabi ni Speaker Romualdez.

“Let’s make the two countries closer. We are here to gather support from US Congress to strengthen and improve our capabilities from external threats and national disasters,” dagdag pa ng lider ng Kamara.

Ang Estados Unidos ay nagbibigay ng defense assistance sa Pilipinas gaya ng pagsasanay sa mga sundalo at mga kagamitang pandigma.

Mula 2002 hanggang 2021, umabot ang natanggap ng Pilipinas sa US$1.8 bilyon na nakatulong sa modernisasyon ng depensa, maritime security, counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics, anti-human trafficking, humanitarian assistance at disaster response, at kahandaang kemikal, biological, radiological, at nukleyar.

Malaking pamumuhunan din sa Pilipinas ang nanggagaling sa Amerika na nagpapatuloy sa kabila ng hamong dala ng Covid-19 sa ekonomiya.

“With our strong economy, we invited the US to increase and expand its investments. Just recently I was with the economic team of President Marcos to help generate more investments during the 2023 World Bank Group-International Monetary Fund (WBG-IMF) Spring Meetings,” sabi pa ni Speaker Romualdez.

“Now the congressional delegation of the House leadership is engaging their counterparts in the US Congress. We are working all out with our strong message to come to the Philippines and invest there,” giit ng lider ng Kamara.

Noong 2021, ang Amerika ang ikatlong pinakamalaking trading partner ng Pilipinas, ang pangunahing export market at ikalimang pinanggagalingan ng inangkat na produkto. Ang Pilipinas naman ay ika-30 top trading partner ng Amerika.

Ang Amerika rin ang ikalimang pangunahing pinanggalingan ng foreign investment noong 2021.

Kinikilala ng mga kompanyang nakabase sa Amerika, kabilang ang mga nasa listahan ng Fortune 500, ang pagiging business-friendly at kakayanan ng mga manggagawang Pilipino kaya nagtatayo ang mga ito ng negosyo sa bansa.