Marcos skips COP 28 meet to work on Filipino hostages’ release in Red Sea

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. | FILE PHOTO: PCO

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will no longer fly to Dubai on Thursday to attend the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).

In a social media post, the President said he decided to stay amid “important developments in the hostage situation involving 17 Filipino seafarers in the Red Sea.”

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga will attend the COP28 in his stead.

“In light of important developments in the hostage situation involving 17 Filipino seafarers in the Red Sea, I have made the decision not to attend COP28 in Dubai tomorrow. Today, I will be convening a meeting to facilitate the dispatch of a high-level delegation to Tehran, Iran, with the aim of providing necessary assistance to our seafarers,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

READ: Marcos to urge nations at COP28 Dubai to honor commitments vs climate change

“I have entrusted DENR Secretary Ma. Antonio Yulo-Loyzaga to lead the COP28 delegation and articulate the country’s statement on my behalf,” Marcos also said.

According to Yulo-Loyzaga, the Loss and Damage Fund is on top of the Philippines’ agenda in COP 28. The Loss and Damage Fund is seen to provide aid for developing countries like the Philippines in efforts to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change.

READ: Marcos presents People’s Survival Fund for projects vs climate change