Philippines’ Marcos visits former rival Robredo, won’t talk alliance yet
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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said his visit to Naga City had been planned months ago.
PHOTO: REUTERS
MANILA – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Feb 21 visited Naga City, where he took part in an event attended by his former rival and now local mayor Leni Robredo.
While the two leaders spoke, they did not discuss forming a political alliance for the 2028 elections, Mr Marcos said.
“The most political thing I did today is I wore my pink socks, in honour of Mayor Leni,” the president said at a briefing, alluding to the colour used in Ms Robredo’s political campaign in 2022. “Service first before politics.”
Mr Marcos inspected a flood mitigation project in the city now under Ms Robredo’s administration.
The president said his visit to the area had been planned months ago, and was not in response to the declaration earlier this week by his vice-president and current political nemesis, Ms Sara Duterte, that she will vie for the presidency
Ms Duterte’s announcement has spurred speculation about possible political alliances in the presidential poll. Considered a frontrunner to succeed Mr Marcos – who is constitutionally mandated to step down in 2028 after serving a six-year term – Ms Duterte’s relationship with the president has deteriorated because of growing policy differences and increased personal attacks.
The vice-president, daughter of detained former President Rodrigo Duterte, enjoys stronger public-support ratings than Mr Marcos, whose popularity has declined in recent months due to a massive corruption scandal.
Ms Robredo, meanwhile, still has political influence, with two senate candidates aligned with her outperforming in the 2025 midterm vote. BLOOMBERG
