Sara Duterte Takes Charge as Caretaker of the Country While President Bongbong Marcos Visits Germany
SARA DUTERTE – Vice President Sara Duterte will serve as the country’s caretaker while President Bongbong Marcos is in Germany and the Czech Republic.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. arrived in Berlin for an official visit to strengthen diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Germany. The aircraft PR 001, carrying Marcos and the entire Philippine delegation, landed in Berlin at 9:49 p.m. local time (4:49 a.m. Manila time).
This visit is a response to an invitation from Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and aligns with the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations between the Philippines and Germany. Notably, Germany is home to a substantial number of overseas Filipino workers, amounting to at least 35,930, according to data from the Federal Statistics Office as of December 2022.
During President Marcos’ stay in Berlin, he is slated to meet with Chancellor Scholz to sign various agreements. These agreements include the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Strengthening Maritime Cooperation and a Cooperation Programme between the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB).
Additionally, President Marcos aims to capitalize on Germany’s expertise in renewable energy to assist the Philippines in its energy transition efforts. Collaboration is expected in various sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, aerospace, innovation and startups, IT-BPM, and mineral processing.
While President Marcos is abroad, Vice President Sara Duterte serves as the country’s caretaker, as confirmed by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil.
“VP Sara is the caretaker,” Garafil said in a message to reporters.
Despite the visit’s business-focused nature, some Filipino migrant groups, including BAYAN Europe, plan to hold a protest rally in front of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, opposing Marcos Jr.’s visit. The group criticizes the trip as an attempt to enhance the international image of the Marcos family and also condemns the German government for supplying drones to the Philippines amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Following Berlin, President Marcos is scheduled to travel to Prague in the Czech Republic for a state visit.
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