Rubio to accompany Trump in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio will accompany US President Donald Trump when the latter attends the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Manila on Nov. 17.

“Secretary Rubio will be joining President Trump,” Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed in a text message to The STAR yesterday.

Romualdez added that Rubio will also join Trump for the Quad leaders’ summit on the sidelines of the key Asian meeting in the country.

This is Rubio’s second visit to Manila this year. He attended the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related high-level regional summits in July.

During his earlier visit, Rubio disclosed that a US Guard vessel was in the region during the July 20 China Coast Guard baton attack at Ayungin Shoal and helped in the rescue of the injured Philippine Navy personnel for medical treatment.

Rubio also indicated last month that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue leaders will meet on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Manila, which begins today.

It will be the Quad leaders’ first summit since 2024 and the first for Trump in his current term.

The Quad group is a key strategic partnership for cooperation on maritime security. It aims to promote a “free and open” Indo-Pacific and balance China’s expanding military and economic influence in the Indo-Pacific.