PHILIPPINE Ambassador to Singapore Medardo Macaraig said no taxpayers’ money would be spent on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s attendance at the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend.
The Singapore Grand Prix is a Formula One night race held on the Marina Bay Street Circuit, famous for its challenging street track, humid conditions and spectacular city lights.
”That is an invitation from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. We will hardly incur any expenses for it... He won’t have to pay even a single peso,” Macaraig said in Filipino in a press briefing on Wednesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier confirmed that Wong invited Marcos to attend the event for “informal engagements” with government officials, business leaders and investors.
In 2022, Marcos’ attendance at the Singapore Grand Prix drew backlash from lawmakers and advocacy groups who said it was poorly timed, as parts of the country reeled from the devastation of Super Typhoon Karding.
Macaraig said he was also invited, noting the reason to attend the event was more business than leisure.
”We have different invitations! His (Marcos’) invitation is from the Prime Minister; mine is from the Temasek Foundation, but I will be there because, first of all, it’s an opportunity. You know how it is — with businesses and matters concerning international relations — opportunities can suddenly arise, and if you aren’t there... well, there will be other ambassadors attending as well,” he added.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Marcos’ duties continue despite such overseas trips.
”So, the fact that the President might attend the F1 Grand Prix upon the government’s invitation does not mean he is abandoning his work of encouraging investors to invest in the country,” said Castro, adding the public should not focus on whether Marcos will attend the event but on what the president intends to do for the country during that event.
”And let us remember: building good relationships and demonstrating the kind of character that earns the trust of other investors and leaders doesn’t happen solely at the conference table — it unfolds in various ways. We know that entrepreneurs often build rapport and forge friendships with their peers on the golf course, and that is frequently where valuable contracts are born,” Castro said.
In a previous comment, Castro said that if ever Marcos decided to attend the Grand Prix, “It probably wouldn’t hurt if it were on a Sunday.”
