MARCOS JR.

ADMINISTRATION

‘Productive’? Malacañang says Marcos

watched Singapore Grand Prix for work
OCT 3, 2022 10:08 AM PHT
BEA CUPIN

INFO
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(3rd UPDATE) After photos of the President and his politician family members at the Singapore
Grand Prix go viral, the city-state’s minister says views were exchanged on the sidelines of the
F1 event

MANILA, Philippines – It took days of refusing to confirm or deny if the President

was flying to Singapore to watch the Grand Prix, but in the wee hours of the
morning on Monday, October 3, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles confirmed
what several media outfits and the internet already knew: that Ferdinand Marcos
Jr. was in the city-state to watch Formula 1 racing.

“Naging produktibo ang pagdalaw sa Singapore ni Pangulong Ferdinand

Romualdez Marcos Jr.,” said Angeles in a Facebook post made early morning
Monday. (President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.’s visit to Singapore was
productive.)

The post came days after Palace media, through official channels, asked for
confirmation on reports that Marcos would be flying to Singapore to watch the
Grand Prix, a motor racing event that’s part of the 2022 F1 season. The 2022
edition was the first one held since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

Angeles attached to her post a screenshot of a post made by Singapore’s Minister

of Manpower, Tan See Leng.

The Press Chief did not say what sort of trip the weekend Singapore sojourn was
— whether it was a working or official visit – but she said Marcos “strengthened
earlier talks from his last state visit.”

Marcos flew to Singapore in early September for his second state visit as
president. But unlike that visit, the late-September trip was not made public,
through Palace media, Angeles’ social media pages, or Marcos’ official social
media accounts.

House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe said he was not privy to exact details of the
trip, when asked why the Marcos administration seemingly kept it secret, but
noted the Singaporean government invited Southeast Asian leaders to the event.

“I think it so happened it was an event for them to get-together and socialize.

Let’s face it. Right now, if you look at the political landscape of Southeast Asia,
President [Marcos] stands as the South leader for Southeast Asia, so you cannot
avoid inviting him to an event where all other leaders of Southeast Asia were
invited,” he told reporters on Monday.
At around 8:30 pm, Monday, Marcos talked about his Singapore sojourn in his
Instagram account. In the IG post, the President likened his watching F1 night
races in the city-state to businessmen talking about business possibilities while
playing a round of golf.

Marcos posted of Instagram: “They say that playing golf is the best way to drum
up business, but I say it’s Formula 1. What a productive weekend!

“It was fulfilling to have been invited alongside several dignitaries and to have
met new business friends who showed that they are ready and willing to invest in
the Philippines. Will be sharing more details on this at a later time.”

According to Minister Tan, aside from Marcos, he met Palau President Surangel
Whipps Jr., head of state to a nation of over 18,000 people. Palau, incidentally,
celebrates its Independence Day on October 1 — the second day of the Grand
Prix.

The rest of the foreign officials Tan met with were fellow ministers from
Cambodia and an advisor to Saudi Arabia.

Tan said he met the two presidents, two ministers and one advisor to “affirm
[Singapore’s] bilateral economic relationships and strengthen collaborations in
energy cooperation as well as exchange views on manpower policies on the
sidelines of the race.”

The Singapore weekend travel would be Marcos’ fourth known foreign trip since
taking his oath on June 30. His first two were state visits to Indonesia and
Singapore. He recently held a six-day working visit to the US for the United
Nations General Assembly in New York City.

It’s also not the first time for Marcos to be criticized for frivolity as chief
executive. In his first few days of office, the new president was criticized for
holding at least two parties in Malacañang, triggering memories of excess and
lavish parties during the first Marcos presidency.
The President is the son and namesake of the dictator Marcos Sr, who was ousted
from power in 1986.

Singapore PM’s photo collage

On his own Facebook page, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong posted a
photo collage which included a snapshot of himself, Marcos, and First Lady Liza
Araneta-Marcos exchanging pleasantries on the sidelines of the Grand Prix.

He wrote as his caption to the collage, “Happy to link up again with friends from
both here and abroad. They were excited to be here, to watch the race and enjoy
the good company.” The series of photographs also included pictures of himself
with Grand Prix attendees who were not heads of state.

Marcos and Lee had met barely a month back, during the former’s state visit.
Marcos, wife Liza, and son Representative Marcos also had breakfast with Prime
Minister Lee and Singapore First Lady Ho Ching during the same state visit.
 BBM trip to Singapore 'productive'
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President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (center) attends the Singapore
Grand Prix on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. PHOTO FROM THE FACEBOOK PAGE
OF SEC. TRIXIE CRUZ-ANGELES

Press Secretary Rose Beatrix "Trixie" Cruz-Angeles confirmed that President

Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. was in Singapore over the weekend.

On her Facebook page on Monday, Angeles, citing Singapore Minister for

Manpower Tan See Leng's Facebook post, said the visit was productive.

"Naging produktibo ang pagdalaw sa Singapore ni Pangulong Ferdinand

Romualdez Marcos Jr.," (President Marcos' visit to Singapore was productive.)
Angeles wrote. "Pinagpatibay niya ang mga pangunahing usapan sa huling state
visit sa bayan na ito, at pinatuloy ang paghihikayat sa pag-invest sa bayang
Pilipinas." (He upheld what was discussed in his first visit to this country, and he
continues to seek investments to the Philippines.)

Tan confirmed Marcos' attendance at the Grand Prix in a Facebook post on

Monday, posting a photo with other leaders and ministers in the Asia Pacific
region and the Middle East.

"Happy to meet various Heads of States, Ministers and foreign dignitaries

(including Bongbong Marcos, President Surangel Whipps Jr., Cambodia's Minister
attached to the Prime Minister and Managing Director of Electricite Du Cambodge
(EDC), Keo Rottanak, Cambodia's Minister of Commerce, Pan Sorasak, Advisor to
the Royal Court, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr Fahad Bin Abdullah Toonsi) to
affirm our bilateral economic relationships and strengthen collaborations in energy
cooperation as well as exchange views on manpower policies on the sidelines of
the race," he wrote. "Last but not least, especially happy to have our community
and tripartite leaders and frontliners at the event. Thank you for your contributions
towards the fight against Covid-19 over the last 2 years. I hope everyone had a
chance to soak in the Singapore Grand Prix activities, whether it is the race or
lifestyle experiences happening in town and within our community."