Looking at the forest and not just the trees

BABE'S EYE VIEW FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.

- AMBASSADOR B. ROMUALDEZ

We may seem biased, but overall, President Marcos' official trip to Washington, DC was very successful and, more importantly, consequential. President Donald Trump is known for placing great value on personal relationships and connections in meeting heads of state. Undoubtedly, President Marcos immediately connected, as seen in the warm and cordial greeting of the US president, starting at the entrance of the White House where the amiability and the rapport between the two leaders were immediately noticed by the reporters gathered outside the West Wing.

In the Oval Office, the mood was genial—a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere during President Trump's meetings with other world leaders—described by the US president himself as a "beautiful visit" in his Truth Social media platform.

Not surprisingly, the usual suspects are criticizing the visit—choosing to ignore that it underscored the strategic alignment between the two countries and reaffirmed the mutual commitment to further strengthen the partnership in terms of defense, security, and economic prosperity. The discussion also centered on enhanced cooperation on cybersecurity, energy supply resilience and critical infrastructure, all of which are important facets that would make the Philippines very viable as an investment destination.