Marcos says Japan trip not a vacation

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Monday that his five-day trip to Japan was not a vacation.

In an interview with reporters on board PR 001, Marcos was asked if he had a leisure time during his official visit to Tokyo. He responded that he only had little time to see the city.

"Very little. Yeah, there was little time to see, to go outside Tokyo pero sandali lang masyado. We had to go back kaagad. Ganoon naman talaga ‘yan," Marcos responded.

(Very little. Yeah, there was little time to see, to go outside Tokyo but only for a quick moment. We had to go back immediately. That's the way it goes.)

"Hindi naman ‘to – hindi naman ‘to bakasyon eh (This is not a vacation). We came here to finish very many specific things. And that’s more importantly than my making nakagala, pagala-gala doon sa Japan – more importantly na nagawa talaga natin lahat nung kailangan nating gawin (that's more important than roaming around Japan, we did the things that we need to do)," he added.

Marcos' visit to Japan was his ninth official overseas travel since he assumed office last year. He returned to Manila on Sunday, February 12.

In an interview with television news anchors last month, Marcos said he would have fewer trips abroad this 2023 as his administration will make "follow-ups" on the discussions and agreements he had made with heads of state and world leaders in his previous trips.

Amid criticisms on his foreign travels, the President defended his trips, saying that his participation and attendance at the events abroad would help other countries to "think" about the Philippines.

Marcos further said the public should look at the return on investments of his previous trips. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News