Trump to attend 2 events during Manila’s hosting of ASEAN; bilateral meeting with Duterte being worked out: Palace

October 25, 2017

United States President Donald Trump will push on with his trip to Manila next month despite his decision to skip the East Asia Summit, Malacanang said on Wednesday.

In a text message to reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Trump will join the other Southeast Asian leaders in at least two events during the country's hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit and Related Summits on November 10-14.

"Based on the schedule that the US side has given us, US President Donald Trump will be in Manila for the Special Gala Celebration of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN on November 12 and the ASEAN-US Summit on November 13," he said.

He said the Philippines and US sides have also been working for a bilateral meeting between Duterte and Trump.

The White House has announced Trump would skip the East Asia Summit to be held on November 14 in Clark, Pampanga.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told reporters in an interview that Trump would likely be represented by US Secretary of State  Rex Tillerson in the East Asia Summit.

He said Duterte and Trump would discuss security and economic issues if their bilateral talks push through.

"I mean President Duterte and President Trump  have both stated. You've heard President Trump said American first. You've heard President Duterte said  his life, his work, is dedicated to the Filipino people. So what's the  fundamental interest, intersecting interest of America and the Philippines, first is security, isn't it?," he said.

Part of the security issues to be discussed include threat of terrorism and illegal drugs, he added.

As for trade, Cayetano said, "there's a possibility that we will explore a bilateral agreement. How to better trade between the two countries? How to get more Filipino goods into the US and how to also  support the US economy by us contributing also." Celerina Monte/DMS