PHILIPPINE Ambassador to the United States (US) Jose Manuel del Gallego Romualdez will attend United States President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, on behalf of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to Malacañang.

The US government invited the chief of diplomatic missions, as well as their spouses, to represent their respective countries at Mr. Trump’s inauguration, Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cesar B. Chavez said in a statement late on Wednesday.

This comes amid reports that Mr. Marcos was not invited to attend the 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,” Mr. Chavez said.

“There is no confirmation regarding whether the President will visit the US to meet with President Trump in the early months of 2025,” he added.

Mr. Romualdez, speaking to Super Radyo DZBB on Thursday, said there had been no formal invitation for heads of state to the inauguration but disclosed that some of them such as Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Hungarian President were informally asked to attend the event.

“President Trump’s invitation to President Xi was very informal,” he explained in mixed English and Filipino. “He called the Hungarian President so it’s very informal.”

“Now, he said in an interview that if they wanted to attend then they should.”

Earlier, when asked if Mr. Marcos was invited to Mr. Trump’s inauguration, Mr. Romualdez said, “As a matter of policy, no head of state is invited.”

“Only ambassadors represented in Washington are invited,” he said at that time. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza