‘Happy coincidence’: Marcos to attend F1, cites network opportunities

SINGAPORE — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will attend the Formula 1 (F1) Singapore Grand Prix, Malacañang confirmed Friday.

“Dadalo po siya. Dahil sabi ng Pangulo, ang mga transaksyon, mas magandang nagkakaroon ng face-to-face meetings katulad ng mga isinasagawang ganitong event,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing Friday on the sidelines of Marcos Jr.’s working visit in Singapore.

In an exclusive interview with Singapore-based news outlet The Straits Times, the chief executive called it a “happy coincidence,” stressing opportunities that come with personally meeting world leaders and investors.

“All of these meetings that I’m having happen because what’s happened with the Singapore F1, it’s become such an event that all these other events are scheduled around it because so many people come,” Marcos Jr. said.

He also recalled the time when he met prominent personalities while attending the race “a long time ago” before becoming President. 

“I was walking around, I met Lee Kuan Yew, I met this businessman, and I came to the conclusion, you come to the Singapore F1 you can meet anybody everyone that you want even some of the businessmen from the Philippines, I had meetings with them because they were there for the F1,” he noted.

“So, you know, happy coincidence. Yes, I will see as much of it as I cannot see as much. Not like before where I could, you know, spend the whole day there,” Marcos Jr. added

Asked about criticisms back in the Philippines about “spending” on the race, the President responded, “because of the contacts that you make and the discussions that you have.”

“Well, I haven’t been I haven’t been to Singapore for the Formula one in several years now but in the past, for me it was it became useful and we all know especially for Asians, the face-to-face meeting is the most important part of any relationship be it a familial relationship, a business relationship, a political relationship, any kind of relationship,” he said.

Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo Macaraig earlier told the media that no taxpayers’ money will be spent on the President’s possible attendance at the racing event, being a guest of Wong.

The news of Marcos’ potential F1 attendance was met with criticism for supposed “insensitivity” as Filipinos grapple with high prices of commodities.

The F1 race is widely regarded as the world’s most prestigious and expensive motor racing competition attracting global leaders, business executives and investors.

Marcos had attended the speedway event twice while in office —back in 2022 during an unannounced trip that drew backlash from critics as millions of Filipinos were reeling from the effects of Super Typhoon Karding, and in 2023 upon the invitation of then-Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.