00:00 In other news, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s trip to the United States was fruitful.
00:06 He continued his $672 million investment pledges after the President's visit
00:13 that he hopes will help improve the lives of Filipinos.
00:17 Kenneth Paciente is in the center of the news.
00:20 Productive.
00:24 That's how President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. described his six-day working visit to the United States.
00:31 In his arrival speech, the President specifically mentioned the unification of the Philippines
00:36 at the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting where the Executive Board of the Philippines
00:41 pushed the country's priority on renewable energy, food security, health systems,
00:48 digitalization, and climate action through regional cooperation.
00:53 One of the most important is the signing of the so-called 1-2-3 agreement,
00:58 which is a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States.
01:03 This paves the way for potential nuclear power projects with American providers
01:08 as well as for streamlining licensing requirements for the private sector
01:13 with respect to investments on nuclear-related intangible transfers of technology
01:18 while ensuring the highest standards of safety, security, and safeguards.
01:22 This will bring us closer to our vision of a more energy-secure and green Philippines.
01:30 But aside from the unification of the Philippines at the APEC,
01:32 the Executive Board of the Philippines also held a bilateral meeting
01:36 with several world leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping,
01:40 Peru President Dina Arcillia Buluarte Zegara, and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris.
01:46 Our discussions were of course very productive with innovation, resilience, sustainability,
01:53 and inclusiveness as cross-cutting themes that are buttressed by our commitment
01:58 to further strengthening cooperation and to address challenges that are common
02:04 to all our economies, both economic challenges and security challenges.
02:09 The President also spoke highly of the country's existence
02:13 in the reach of the more than US$600 million investment pledges.
02:18 According to the President, the country has achieved a commitment for technological advancement
02:23 including the deployment of the first two Internet microgeo satellites in the country,
02:28 named Agila.
02:30 He will also help the DOST and Atmo for AI-driven weather forecasting
02:37 which is expected to help strengthen the country's commitment to climate change.
02:42 The A.C. Health and Varian agreement is also included in the investment pledges
02:46 to further increase the country's rate of cancer.
02:50 A joint effort was also made between Lloyd Laboratories and DivGen Pharmaceuticals
02:56 to strengthen the local production share of the Philippines when it comes to pharmaceutical products.
03:01 Altogether, we return to the Philippines with more or less US$670 million in investment
03:09 and have the potential to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs for Filipinos.
03:18 More of these partnerships materialize in the months ahead,
03:22 especially with the visit of the high-level US Presidential Trade and Investment Mission in March next year.
03:30 And we are also co-hosting the 2024 Indo-Pacific Business Forum.
03:36 The President also shared his visit to the Daniel Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.
03:44 He gave his support to the Philippines for its protection of the country's territory,
03:50 particularly in the West Philippine Sea, even in the Indo-Pacific region.
03:55 Despite the evolving and complex challenges, my message was one of optimism.
04:00 That together with the US, our oldest and only treaty ally, and our growing network of other partners,
04:07 we will be able to bring peace, stability, prosperity to the Indo-Pacific region.
04:12 As long as our partnerships are based on mutual trust and respect for one another as sovereign equals,
04:19 and that our actions are anchored in international law, including the UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
04:27 award. Kenneth Paciente, Para sa Bayan.
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