MANILA, Philippines, Nov 14, (Agencies): On Tuesday night, Nov 14, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr set out for his third visit to the United States with high expectations of finalizing crucial deals on national priorities. Speaking before his departure, Marcos expressed anticipation for the signing of agreements during his participation in the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco, California.

Marcos highlighted the ongoing negotiations covering priority sectors, including nuclear energy, artificial intelligence for weather forecasting, health sciences (with a focus on cancer research, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention), pharmaceutical manufacturing, and satellite connectivity. He emphasized his commitment to bringing the Philippines' vision for a peaceful Asia-Pacific to the APEC summit.

During the summit, Marcos aims to address cross-cutting themes such as sustainability, inclusiveness, and resilience. He emphasized the need to build a resilient and interconnected region, fostering economic prosperity, innovation, and inclusivity. The President underlined the importance of his continuous participation in APEC summits to prioritize beneficial trade and investment, quality and green jobs, and human development.

Marcos plans to engage with Asia-Pacific leaders to achieve food and energy security, economic inclusion for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), women, indigenous people, and other segments through digitalization and innovation. He also intends to discuss sustainable development and address the climate change crisis.

While in the US, Marcos is scheduled to meet with business leaders, hold roundtable discussions on the APEC sidelines to attract investments, and discuss the country's economic agenda. He will deliver keynote remarks on "intentional equity in sustainability," sharing the Philippine experience in ensuring inclusivity in greening the economy.

This visit marks Marcos's third trip to the United States, reinforcing the strong bilateral relationship. From San Francisco, he will proceed to working visits in Los Angeles, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii, engaging with the sizable Filipino community in these regions.

As Marcos embarks on this diplomatic journey, Vice President Sara Duterte will assume the role of the government's caretaker in his absence.