| Photo by Eric Prouzet on Unsplash
As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to meet President Donald Trump in Washington from July 20–22, Filipinos everywhere—especially those of us in the diaspora—must ask a simple question: Whose interests will this meeting serve?
While headlines trumpet bilateral cooperation and regional stability, Filipino Americans remain keenly aware of the deeper stakes. This visit unfolds in the shadow of new U.S. tariffs on Philippine goods, a rising tide of South China Sea aggression, and a quiet erosion of democratic guardrails across both countries.
More than trade deals or defense handshakes, we need transparency. We need a foreign policy that reflects kapwa—the deep sense of shared humanity—and bayanihan, the call to collective upliftment. And we need leadership that listens not only to generals and economists, but also to nurses in Queens, seniors in Jersey City, and youth activists across the Pacific.
Our communities deserve to know:
Will the Luzon Economic Corridor include labor protections for Filipino workers?
Will South China Sea cooperation prioritize de-escalation over militarization?
Will economic relief negotiations consider the livelihoods of overseas Filipinos?
This moment should not be a stage-managed spectacle. It should be a reckoning—a chance for both governments to affirm that diplomacy is accountable, inclusive, and rooted in the lived realities of their citizens. We urge President Marcos to carry with him not just national interests, but the voices of the Filipino diaspora who know the cost of silence.
