United States President Joe Biden called presumptive Philippine president Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to congratulate him on his election victory, the White House said Wednesday.
Biden said he "looks forward" to strengthening the alliance between Washington and Manila according to a White House statement. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also congratulated Marcos Jr.
"President Biden underscored that he looks forward to working with the President-elect to continue strengthening the U.S.-Philippine Alliance, while expanding bilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues, including the fight against COVID-19, addressing the climate crisis, promoting broad-based economic growth, and respect for human rights," the White House said in a statement.
Marcos Jr. won the Philippine presidency with a landslide 31 million votes, making him the first majority president of the country since the 1986 People Power Revolution that ousted his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Malacañang has also ordered the creation of a transition committee to help the incoming administration of the next president.
A former colony of the U.S., Manila is Washington's oldest security ally in Southeast Asia, a partnership that saw testy waters during the administration of incumbent Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte sought to distance the Philippines from the U.S. by forging closer ties with China and Russia.
EXPLAINERS:
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Solid North, Solid South? How Regions Voted for President, VP
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