Philippine Ambassador to the United States (U.S.) Jose Manuel Romualdez will attend U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, on behalf of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Malacañang said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Presidential Communications Office secretary Cesar Chavez said the U.S. invited the chief of diplomatic missions to represent their respective countries at Trump’s inauguration.
“The Palace confirms that the Secretary of State, on behalf of the Joint Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, invited the Chiefs of Diplomatic Missions, along with their spouses, to represent their respective heads of state and their governments at the principal inaugural events,” Chavez said.
“In this case, Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez will represent PBBM [President Bongbong Marcos] at the inauguration,” he added.
Trump, who served as U.S. president from 2017 to 2021, earned a fresh mandate from the Americans in the 2024 elections after defeating outgoing U.S. vice president Kamala Harris.
Chavez also said there was no confirmation yet whether Marcos would visit the U.S. to meet with Trump in the early months of 2025.
In a phone call in November, Marcos congratulated Trump for his second term as U.S. president.
They also discussed the longstanding alliance between the U.S. and the Philippines.