House Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said he has "never been prouder" to be a Filipino after listening to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s historic address at the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

"I have never been prouder to stand as a Filipino in the company of world leaders. It was a great experience to see and hear our President spell out, in clear terms, what we as a people expect from the parliament of nations," Romualdez said, referring to the reaffirmation made by President Marcos of the ideals upheld and promoted by the UN.

The House Speaker added that Marcos' participation at the event was a symbolic act that would play a significant role in advancing peace and stability not only in the Southeast Asian region but in the Philippine's sphere of influence as well.

His remarks show "how we all need to work together to address the urgent problems plaguing the globe in this generation… That we need to act fast if want humanity to survive," according to Romualdez.

"The UN has long been an independent arbiter and an effective facilitator of the international dialogue between and among nations. It continues to be our country's honor to be part of this global family of nations that have continued to remain faithful to its mission of fostering world peace," said Romualdez, who accompanied Marcos on his visit to the US.
He said the President's words struck a chord in every Filipino household.

"He verbalized what an average Filipino family would want to tell world leaders: please get your acts together so that we keep families all over the world feeling safe and secure for generations to come," he said.

"Reaffirming the principles that the UN stands for means we also reaffirm our commitment to pursue dialogue and cooperation as a peaceful means to settle conflict and disputes. And this is crucial to the peace and stability in our region," he added.

Marcos delivered the Philippine national statement before members of the UN at its 77th General Assembly held in its global headquarters here.

Romualdez thanked the President "for emphasizing to the community of nations what to expect from the Filipino nation… that we are a friend to all, and enemy of none."

The President's recent visit to the US is part of a series of international travel that aims to bring in much-needed investments into the Philippines after the ill effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.