Palace Mum On Marcos Attending Singapore F1 Grand Prix
Malacañang refused to comment as President Marcos drew flak over reports that watched the return of the motor race event in Singapore, which was canceled in the last two years because of pandemic restrictions.
President Marcos flew to Singapore over the weekend to watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix, just days after some areas in the country were ravaged by Super Typhoon Karding, a source disclosed on Sunday, Oct. 2.
Based on a “One Balita Weekend” report on One PH by news anchor Gretchen Ho, the source even showed the Instagram Stories of presidential son Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos as proof that the President was in Singapore.
Malacañang kept mum as the President drew flak over reports that watched the return of the motor race event in Singapore, which was canceled in the last two years because of pandemic restrictions.
A video and photos showing Marcos, his son Sandro and House Speaker Martin Romualdez during the event have gone viral, drawing criticism from social media users, some of whom accused the President of being insensitive to the plight of typhoon victims.
Also reportedly part of the President’s entourage was Cavite Rep. Aniela Tolentino, among others.
The presidential entourage was allegedly staying at the exclusive F1 Paddock Club which charges $8,000 (about P470,412) for a two-day accommodation.
Karding left 12 persons dead and damaged more than P304 million worth of infrastructure, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
A post by the Philippines Defense Forces Forum also claimed that Marcos flew to Singapore on a RPP1 PAF Gulfstream G280 command and control aircraft, an air asset of the Philippine Air Force.
Malacañang has yet to issue a statement on Marcos’ supposed trip to Singapore. Last Friday, Sept. 30, the Office of the Press Secretary said it has no information yet on the matter.
The Palace has also yet to respond to the claim that Marcos used an Air Force aircraft to travel to Singapore and watch the motor race.
The Singapore Grand Prix took place over 61 laps of the 5.063-kilometre Marina Bay Street Circuit on Sunday.
According to the F1 official website, about 302,000 people from all over the world witnessed the much-anticipated return of the event.
The prices of three-day passes ranged from Sg$208 (about P8,541) to Sg$1,288 (about P52,889), while one-day passes cost from Sg$128 (about P5,256) to Sg$988 (about P40,570).
Hospitality packages cost from Sg$1,605 (about P65,906) to Sg$9,898 (about P406,440), depending on the venue and number of days.
Trip ‘insensitive, unnecessary’
Activist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and farmers’ group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) have slammed Marcos for the weekend Singapore trip.
In a statement, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said that the trip was “insensitive, unnecessary and irresponsible” as Filipinos continued to reel from economic crisis and the recent onslaught of Karding.
“We are in the middle of an economic crisis where inflation will again reach record highs, public debt has breached P13 trillion, and millions of Filipinos are reeling from the effects of typhoon Karding,” Reyes said.
“So why does the President think it’s okay to take a private jet to Singapore to watch the return of the F1 Grand Prix? How much are the Filipino taxpayers paying for this trip?” he added.
“We are approaching the first 100 days in office of Marcos and it has been one party after another since he returned to Malacañang. The jet-setting lifestyle is incompatible with the Office of the President. The people demand a concrete response to the economic crisis, not a partying president,” Reyes said.
Reyes said that Marcos must also be compelled to disclose how much Filipino taxpayers’ money was spent during his and his entourage’s stay at the Carlyle Hotel in New York during his recent working visit in the US.
The KMP echoed the same sentiments, calling Marcos weekend getaway in SG “callous and insensitive.”
“What a shame! While Filipino farmers are still reeling from the damaging effects of the super typhoon, Marcos Jr. is ‘living the life’ and having a relaxing time abroad,” KMP leader Rafael Mariano said in a statement.
“His imprudent behavior and excessive lifestyle are truly unbecoming of a public servant. Filipinos have all the reason to be furious. Marcos Jr. spent more time for celebrations, parties, and trips abroad rather than working round-the-clock to attend to the country’s woes,” he added. – With Elizabeth Marcelo
