Marcos' unannounced Singapore trip 'partly official, partly personal' —Bersamin

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s recent unannounced trip to Singapore was "partly official and partly personal," Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin told a Senate panel on Wednesday.

During the hearing of the Senate finance panel on the Office of the President's proposed budget for 2023, Bersamin said Marcos was invited by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to join him in- watching the revival of Formula One Grand Prix or F1.

"The President most likely saw an opportunity for him to expand on a goodwill that he generated when he made the official state visit. But of course we could not announce that beforehand for security reasons," he said.

"The visit then was partly official, partly personal," Bersamin added.

Bersamin was responding to Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, who asked if Marcos' trip to Singapore was personal or official.

Joining Marcos in his last Singapore trip were members of his family: First Lady Louise "Liza" Araneta-Marcos and their son House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos.

Travel expenses

During the hearing, Pimentel pointed out the huge increase in the travelling expenses of the OP's proposed budget for next year, which is P9,031,722,000.

The opposition senator said the main increase could be attributed to travelling expenses which, according to him, is because of more state visits.

"Actually, ang main increases natin or ang biggest increase natin, travelling expenses," Pimentel said.

The 2023 National Expenditure Program states that of the total proposed budget of the OP, P670,664,000 is allocated for travelling expenses, which is higher compared to the previous P314,372,000 in the last administration.

So far, Marcos had state visits in Indonesia and Singapore. He also attended the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, last month.

State's obligation

Regarding the Singapore trip, Bersamin said one should not be too concerned about the expenses as Marcos still performed his duties as president. He also elaborated on his previous statement that source of the funds for the trip was irrelevant.

"Mayroon tayong obligasyon na kung saan pupunta ang Presidente, kasama man 'yung pamilya niya o hindi, hindi naman niya iniiwan 'yung pagka-Presidente niya. So obligado pa rin 'yung gobyerno na alagaan siya, i-secure siya, at that was my point when I made that statement," Bersamin said.

(We have an obligation that when the President goes to other countries, with or without his family, he is not leaving his post as president and therefore the government must protect him.)

"It's impossible to say which part of it is personal, which is official. But actually, hindi po personal 'yun only," he added.

Up to COA

In response, Pimentel said it would be up to the Commission on Audit to check the expenses, which were under the funds of OP. He added that what was achieved during that weekend trip must be disclosed or reported to the public as it looked like an "official engagement."

"The root of it all is the invitation from Prime Minister of Singapore to Mr. Bongbong Marcos as President of the Republic of the Philippines, therefore that was an official trip. Then, COA na po ang mag-audit naman niyan sa expenses na charged to the budget of the Office of the President," Pimentel said.

Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. had criticized Marcos for his Singapore trip, saying it was “insensitive, unnecessary and irresponsible,” considering that the Philippines was in the midst of an economic crisis.

Marcos, for his part, said Formula One racing was the best way to "drum up business" and called his Singapore trip as "productive" despite criticisms.  —KBK, GMA News