Ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s trip to the United States to participate in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, his meeting with US President Joe Biden has not been confirmed yet.
Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga, assistant secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs' (DFA) Office of American Affairs, said the agency is "still in consultation" with the White House and the US National Security Council for the possible meeting of the two leaders.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose "Babe" Romualdez "is personally dealing with the matter," Chan-Gonzaga said, adding any confirmation or announcement might be coming from the envoy of DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo.
"Obviously that would be coordinated with the White House as well," he said in a joint press conference with the Office of the Press Secretary on Thursday, ahead of Marcos Jr.'s departure for the US on Sept. 18.
During State Secretary Antony Blinken's visit to the Philippines in August, Manalo hinted at Marcos Jr.'s possible meeting with his US counterpart, although it would still "depend" on their schedule.
In July, Romualdez said Biden invited Marcos to come to the US through a handwritten letter brought by US Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff who was his personal emissary to Marcos' inauguration last June 30.
Meanwhile, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said the President also has "a number of confirmed meetings" with some of his counterparts at the sidelines of UNGA.
However, the Palace "is not inclined to disclose" information about these until they already happen.