MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s official trips to other countries are a bit much, Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Tuesday.
While Hontiveros noted the potential benefits of an official trip, she said that several Filipinos are still reeling from the impact of domestic concerns.
“There are always possible benefits. Hindi ko naman tatawaran ‘yun sa kahit sinumang presidente pero numerically kasi medyo parang sobra,” Hontiveros said on ANC Headstart.
(I won’t take that away from any president but numerically, it seems a bit much.)
“In seven months, eight trips samantalang nasusunog tayo sa mga domestic issues, lalo na domestic economic issues,” she added.
(In seven months, he’s had eight trips while we are burdened by domestic issues, especially domestic economic issues.)
According to Hontiveros, the public wants “to feel that our leader is in the house,” especially as issues are putting weight on people.
“Medyo disproportionate ‘yung higit sa isang biyahe per month samantalang ‘di lang linggo-lingo kundi araw-araw umaaray ang mga tao sa mga issues. I don’t think it was a good thing to do and to be seen as doing in the first months,” she said.
(More than one trip a month is a bit disproportionate while the people suffer not just weekly, but every day.)
Marcos’ most recent trip was to Davos, Switzerland where he participated in the World Economic Forum.
Lawmakers of the Makabayan bloc are calling for an investigation into the “lavish business trip” in Davos where 70 delegates joined.
READ: Makabayan solons question BBM’s ‘lavish’ Davos trip, seek probe
Earlier, House deputy minority leader Representative France Castro said that the President’s series of overseas trips is an attempt at “rehabilitating and repackaging” his family’s name in the international community.
For this year, Marcos said that he will have fewer foreign travels.