US Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff will lead Washington’s delegation to Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s inauguration

United States Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, will lead Washington’s delegation to the inauguration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on June 30, the White House announced.

US President Joe Biden will send a delegation to address him at the inauguration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the US Embassy in Manila announced Monday.

US President Joe Biden assigned Emhoff to lead the seven-member delegation to Marcos’ inauguration, the White House said in a statement dated June 26, 2022.

US Embassy in Manila Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava and Filipino-American Congressman Bobby Scott of Virginia, chairman of the US House Committee on Education and Labor, will join the delegation.

Similarly in the delegation is Filipino-American Nani Coloretti, who fills in as deputy director at the Office of Management and Budget.

Former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff retired Admiral James “Sandy” Winnefeld, Jr., Special Assistant to the President and National Security Council Security Director for East Asia and Oceania Edgard Kagan as well as US Director of the Asian Development Bank Chantale Wong will likewise go to Marcos’ inauguration, as per the White House.

Other members of Biden’s delegation include:

Different individuals from the group that will go to the historic June 30 event are

• Heather Variava, Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, US Embassy Manila
• Rep. Bobby Scott, Chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, United States Representative (D), Virginia
• Nani A. Coloretti, Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget
• Admiral James “Sandy” A. Winnefeld, Jr. (Ret.), Former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Edgard D. Kagan, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for East Asia and Oceania, National Security Council
• Chantale Y. Wong, US director of the Asian Development Bank

Arrangements are going full swing ahead for the swearing-in of Marcos Jr. as the 17th President of the Philippines at the National Museum. Marcos’ oath-taking will happen at the National Museum.

Biden was perhaps the earliest world leader to congratulate Marcos Jr. on his presidential win and he communicated hope to extend the two countries’ bilateral ties.

This got under the ire of some Fil-Am groups since they said it “is premature and is preemptive of the ongoing verification of election results,” in spite of partial and unofficial results than previously showed Marcos Jr. leading the polls with over 31 million votes.

Marcos Jr’s. inauguration as the 17th president of the Republic of the Philippines will be hung on Thursday early afternoon at the National Museum of the Philippines.