Marcos ‘planning’ to attend UNGA in September — envoy

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is eyeing to attend the United Nations General Assembly in September, an envoy said Monday.

“There is a plan,” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez told GMA News Online when asked if Marcos will attend this year’s UNGA.

Romualdez said Marcos’ presence in the UNGA is important for the country’s bid of a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) “since he will have the chance to engage with many world leaders.”

The Presidential Communications Office, meanwhile, has not confirmed yet if Marcos will indeed participate in the UNGA.

Every September, world leaders usually travel to New York to address the start of the annual United Nations General Assembly.

Each high-level gathering to mark the start of the annual General Assembly has a theme, which leaders tend to briefly reference before talking about whatever they want.

In 2023 and 2024, Marcos skipped the UNGA and was instead represented by former Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

In 2022, Marcos attended the UNGA wherein he talked about the peace and stability in Asia, which, according to him, was under threat due to ideological tensions. — BAP, GMA Integrated News