18 August 2026, Lincoln, Nebraska – Consul General Melanie Rita B. Diano of the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago paid a courtesy call on Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen two weeks after the Governor led a delegation on a trade mission to Manila on 28-29 July 2026.

The two sides discussed opportunities for stronger economic and people-to-people cooperation. The United States is a major supplier of soybean meal to the Philippines, with imports to the country valued at $1 billion in 2025 and total volume of 3.02 million metric tons. Nebraska is a dominant force in the export of the “Golden Triangle” of beef, corn and soybeans, all of which remain key Philippine import needs.