Marcos, who has met with US President Joe Biden twice since his landslide victory in the presidential elections in May, reiterated that he could not see a future for his country without the longtime treaty ally.
Marcos told Austin, “I’ve always said, I think the future of the Philippines and for that matter the Asia Pacific is always going to have to include the United States.”
Austin’s visit follows a three-day trip to the Philippines in November by US Vice President Kamala Harris, which also included a stop in Palawan. At the same time, Harris said that Washington will stand with the Philippines in the case of intimidation and coercion in the South China Sea.
Dozens of protesters raised anti-US slogans outside the military headquarters, demanding the repeal of the EDCA.