AP News reported yesterday (3 Oct) that the Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was heavily criticised at home after going to Singapore to watch the Formula One (F1) races. At the time, he was watching the F1 races together with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore on Sunday (2 Oct).
Critics in the Philippines rebuked President Marcos as “utterly callous” while thousands of Filipinos remain displaced due to a recent typhoon in the country. They demanded more details from the government about the trip, including if public funds and resources were used.
“We assert that the Singapore F1 weekend getaway was insensitive, unnecessary and irresponsible given the crisis that the nation is in,” Renato Reyes of the left-wing Bayan political alliance said in a statement. “Only the utterly callous and shamelessly entitled would not get this point.”
The Kilusang Mayo Uno labour movement said the trip was an insult to Philippines workers grappling with hyper-inflation and low wages and victims of a powerful typhoon which left at least 12 people dead and a trail of devastation in northern provinces a week ago. Thousands of Filipinos remained displaced.
Defending himself, President Marcos posted on his Facebook page saying that he was there to “drum up” business. “They say that playing golf is the best way to drum up business, but I say it’s Formula 1,” he said. “What a productive weekend.”
However, President Marcos did bring along his whole family, including his wife and two sons to the F1 event, to do business. This was confirmed by a Philippine official who preferred to remain anonymous.
President Marcos’ trip to the Singapore F1 event was totally unannounced. His press secretary only confirmed after Manpower Minister Tan See Leng posted pictures of President Marcos at the event on Facebook.
And PM Lee Hsien Loong also posted pictures later on Facebook on Monday (3 Oct) showing him with President Marcos and wife, Liza Araneta-Marcos. “Happy to link up again with friends from both here and abroad, to watch the race and enjoy the good company,” the caption read.
