Palace: Marcos stayed in Manila, skipped F1

MALACAÑANG on Sunday said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was in Manila and was not in Singapore for the Formula One weekend. "He did not go to Singapore," Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cesar Chavez said in a text message to reporters. Asked how the Chief Executive spent his weekend, Chavez said Marcos was "home with family," taped his weekly vlog, and "reviewed and signed some documents." In 2022, the President was criticized for being seen at the F1 Grand Prix just days after a strong typhoon had hit the country. The Palace justified the trip by saying Marcos' trip to Singapore was "productive" as it also resulted in investment pledges. Last year, he again attended the annual motoring show upon the invitation of then Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Marcos described as "promising" that particular trip and meeting with Lee, with both leaders agreeing to sustain "enhanced collaboration on multiple fronts to address common global challenges" between the two Southeast Asian nations.