PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will call for peace in the Middle East when he takes part in the special session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday.
Foreign Affairs spokesman Angelica Escalona said attending the General Assembly session is the highlight of Marcos’ visit to the United States on March 8 to 11.
“This trip is very important amid what is currently happening in the Middle East,” Escalona said during a predeparture briefing in Malacañang. “The UN is the most appropriate venue for the President to call for peace in the Middle East and for the safety of all civilians, especially our countrymen.”
“The President will offer a voice from our region, from developing countries and call for restraint, respect for international law including the UN charter and humanitarian law, and for all concerned to return to the negotiating table for peace,” Escalona said.
Marcos will also seek support for the Philippines’ bid to become a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council for 2027 to 2028, she said.
A seat in the Security Council “gives the Philippines the power and voice in issues of global safety and security,” Escalona said.
Marcos is scheduled to meet with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the sidelines of his visit. Escalona said Marcos and Guterres would tackle the crisis in the Middle East and reaffirm the Philippines’ commitment to the UN and multilateralism.
The president will also address the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, where he “will highlight the Philippines’ commitment to promote, advance, and protect the rights and well-being of women and girls,” she added.
Asked if Marcos will also take up the territorial disputes in the South China Sea and other regional issues, Escalona said, “I cannot preempt what the President will say.”
“But definitely, he will discuss international developments, regional developments and those matters that will affect our people,” she said.
As president, Marcos has made five visits to the US. The last was in July last year, when he met with President Donald Trump.
Escalona said Marcos would not meet with Trump and other state leaders during his visit this week.
He will not be meeting with members of the Filipino community in New York, either.
Joining Marcos during his US visit are first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Acting Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez and other government officials.
Last Thursday, Lazaro warned that the world is entering a period of “upheaval, uncertainty and unpredictability,” and urged stronger regional cooperation as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) navigates an increasingly complex global environment.
Speaking at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Manila, Lazaro said recent global crises — from the Covid pandemic and the military coup in Myanmar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — have reshaped the international landscape.
“We are living in a decade defined by what I describe as the ‘three U’s’: upheaval, uncertainty and unpredictability,” Lazaro said.
As the Philippines chairs Asean in 2026, Lazaro said the bloc aims to serve as an “anchor for peace, prosperity and stability” through stronger regional integration and adherence to international law.
Under the chairmanship theme “Navigating Our Future, Together,” the Philippines will advance three priorities: Peace and Security, Prosperity and People Empowerment.
The priorities call for strengthening dialogue and maritime cooperation, deepening economic integration and digital transformation, and promoting inclusive growth and social protection across Southeast Asia.
The agenda aligns with the Asean Community Vision 2045, which aims to build a resilient, people-centered Asean and to position the region as the fourth-largest economy globally by 2045.
Lazaro also underscored the bloc’s commitment to the rules-based international order as the region marks the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia this year.
With a combined economy of more than $4 trillion and a population of more than 684 million, Asean will continue to strengthen regional mechanisms and dialogue to ensure stability in a rapidly changing world, Lazaro said.