Marcos downplays Harris Palawan trip

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Saturday allayed fears that the upcoming trip of US Vice President Kamala Harris to Palawan will trigger tension between the Philippines and China since she will be visiting an area that is within Philippine territory.

Harris is expected to arrive in Palawan on November 21 to receive a briefing about the current situation in the West Philippine Sea, a part of the strategic waterway that China has been claiming.

“No. I don’t see why they should. She is in the Philippines, and she is visiting another part of the Philippines,” Marcos told reporters during an interview in Bangkok, Thailand when asked if Harris’ visit near the disputed waters would fuel tensions between the Philippines and China.

“And of course, it is the closest area to the South China Sea, but it’s very clearly on Philippine territory. So, I don’t think there should be — I don’t think it will cause problems,” he added.

US Vice President Kamala Harris looks on during the handover ceremony at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok on November 19, 2022. Haiyun Jiang / POOL / AFP