Marcos to skip UN General Assembly in New York- Palace

Metro Manila, Philippines— President Bongbong Marcos is not attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, with the general debates scheduled to be held on Sept. 24 to Sept. 28.

This is the second time Marcos will forego his attendance in the general debate. He attended the UNGA in 2022 just months after winning the presidential elections.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will be representing the president in the UNGA.

“He will articulate the country’s responses to global challenges which we assert should be resolved within the framework of peace and cooperation enshrined in the UN Charter,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez told NewsWatch Plus that the president is also limiting his foreign trips this year.

A Reuters report quoted Romualdez as saying that a summit of at least 20 nations is being planned on the sidelines of the UNGA this month to seek ways "to talk some sense" into China over its confrontation with the Philippines in the South China Sea,

"The more countries band together and give a message to China that what they're doing is definitely not on the right side of history, then we have a better than even chance that they will not make that wrong move that we're all fearing," the diplomat told Reuters.

Romualdez did not elaborate on plans for the summit but the event could take place on Sept. 22.