MANILA -- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Saturday said the Philippines would continue to “evolve” its friendship with the United States amid global challenges.

“I hope that we will continue to evolve with that relationship in the face of all the changes that we have been seeing and the changes in our bilateral relations with the United States,” Marcos told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a meeting in Malacañan Palace.

Blinken paid a courtesy call on President Marcos in a bid to bolster ties between the US and the Philippines.

“I cannot overemphasize the importance that the Philippines holds in its relationship with the United States. It is at every level. It’s not personal level, it’s at a familial level — people who have folks in the United States, who have been working there, second, third generation Filipinos who have been there. From that very, very grassroots level,” Marcos said.

For his part, Blinken said the relationship between the two countries is founded on friendship as he hailed the strong alliance between Manila and Washington.

“Our relationship is quite extraordinary because it is really founded in friendship, it’s forged as well in partnership, and it’s strengthened by the fact that it’s an alliance as well,” Blinken said.

Blinken also assured the chief executive that the United States continues to honor its commitment to sustaining defense and security cooperation.

“We are committed to the Mutual Defense Treaty. We’re committed to working with you on shared challenges,” said Blinken.

Blinken also cited the two countries’ partnership in addressing global issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

“We have been proud to be your partner in working on that and protecting all of our people. Whether it’s climate change and the need to deal with that existential challenge or whether it’s the impact of all these new technologies on the lives of our people,” Blinken said.

Blinken is the highest-ranking United States official to visit the country since the inauguration of Marcos.

The two officials talked about a wide array of issues that include commitment to sustaining the defense and security cooperation, renewable energy, climate change mitigation, agriculture, food security, and COVID-19, among others.  (PND)