Chapter 269: The President Sudden Visitation

April 11th, 2028

"Sir...there's an emergency!" Juliet barged into Michael's office, panting heavily.

Michael rose to his feet, visibly alert. "What is it, Juliet?"

"The President is heading to the Golden Topper right now. He plans to visit you," Juliet informed, catching her breath.

Michael's eyes widened. "The President? Here? Did he say why?"

Juliet shook her head. "No, sir. But given the urgency, it must be something critical."

Michael took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "Alright, let's prepare for his arrival. Make sure security is tight and inform the team. We need to be ready for whatever he needs."

Juliet nodded. "Yes, sir. I'll get on it right away." She turned and quickly left the office, leaving Michael to process the sudden development.

Michael sat back down, his mind racing. The President's unexpected visit could mean many things, but it was likely related to the escalating situation with China or the potential deal with the United States.

A few minutes later, Juliet returned. "Security is in place, and the team is ready. The President's convoy is just a few minutes away."

"Good," Michael replied, standing up again. "Let's head to the lobby to greet him."

As they made their way to the lobby, Michael couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Well, of course, this is the first time the President came into his office. It was supposed to be the other way around.

Moments later, the President's convoy arrived, and the President stepped out, flanked by his security detail. Michael approached him, extending his hand.

"Mr. President, welcome to the Golden Topper," Michael greeted, maintaining a composed demeanor. "It's too sudden for me to prepare a proper welcome, but we're honored to have you here."

"Thank you, Mr. Reyes. We have much to discuss," the President said, emphasizing the word "discuss". It must be a serious one as the President personally went to visit him in the office.

"Oh..." The President mused. "What might that be?"

"Well, it has been known that the Philippines will be forever grateful for my move, then I shall have a request from the government for my benefit, which will also be a benefit of this country."

"I'm listening, Mr. Reyes. What do you want? If it's within my bounds, I will honor it," the President said, his curiosity piqued.

"I want to build a shipbuilding enterprise here in the Philippines. One that will focus on constructing warships for our Navy. The goal is to make our country more self-reliant in terms of naval defense capabilities," Michael said earnestly.

The President raised an eyebrow. "That's a significant undertaking, Michael. But there's a challenge you must be aware of. For the Philippine Navy to acquire warships from a domestic builder, the builder must have a history of constructing warships. It's a catch-22 situation because we haven't been buying from domestic shipbuilders."

Michael nodded. "Exactly. That's why I want to revive this industry. I propose that any future naval acquisitions be exclusive to my company."

"I don't think I can do that," the President said.

"Oh, I think you can, Mr. President. Come on, you can propose a bill that mandates future naval acquisitions to come from my shipbuilding company once it's established. This will help build the necessary history and ensure that our Navy gets the warships it needs from a reliable, local source," Michael suggested, his tone firm but respectful.

"Okay, how do we trust that your shipbuilding company is as good as foreign counterparts?"

Michael scoffed softly at the question. "Mr. President, the proof is already here. The United States wants to buy my Aerospace Defense Systems Enterprise for a reason. They see the potential and capability of our technology. If we apply the same innovation and dedication to shipbuilding, we can achieve similar success," he asserted confidently.

The President considered that, nodding slowly. "You make a compelling argument, Mr. Reyes. But we need to ensure that the quality and standards of the warships meet our defense requirements."

"We will adhere to the highest standards, Mr. President. So do we have a deal?"

The President was silent for a moment and then spoke. "Okay, you have a deal. I'll contact one of my people in the Congress."

Michael smiled. "Thank you, Mr. President."

With that, the two of them shook hands, sealing the deal.