MANILA, Philippines — Climate change and defense agreements will be at the center of talks between President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and U.S. President Joe Biden next week when they meet to reaffirm the “special relationship” between the Philippines and the United States. Marcos Jr. will be on an official working visit to the U.S. from April 30 to May 4, just days after the conclusion of an annual military exercise between Filipino and U.S. soldiers and weeks after the foreign and defense officials of each country met for the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue. “Climate change is a big deal and we will be asking for help, what else can we do and what other strategies can we use,” Marcos Jr. said. He added that they also plan to review the Host Forces Agreement and the Mutual Defense Treaty, saying “we have to evolve it” in light of developments in the region. The CEO also stressed that the Philippine delegation will seek other projects and partnerships that it could pursue with the U.S. Marcos Jr. and Biden first met last September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. They then discussed the Manila-Washington alliance, tensions in the South China Sea, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other topics. It will be Marcos' 10th official foreign trip as the youngest president of the Philippines since he took office last year. He has brushed off criticism of his frequent travel and said the Philippines needs to reach out to investors. He was also criticized for flying to Singapore in October just days after Typhoon Karding hit the country, affecting millions of people and causing billions in agricultural damage. Marcos Jr. also serves as the country's agriculture chief. (Philstar.com)