Sara Duterte Takes Charge as Caretaker While President Marcos Visits Germany
SARA DUTERTE – Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte will serve as the Philippines’ caretaker while President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is in Germany and the Czech Republic.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has arrived in Berlin for an official visit aimed at strengthening the diplomatic ties between the Philippines and Germany. The PR 001, carrying Marcos and the entire Philippine delegation, touched down in Berlin at 9:49 p.m. local time (4:49 a.m. Manila time).
This visit is in response to an invitation from Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and it coincides with the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations between the Philippines and Germany. Notably, Germany hosts a significant number of overseas Filipino workers, totaling at least 35,930, according to data from the Federal Statistics Office as of December 2022.
During President Marcos’ stay in Berlin, he is scheduled to meet with Chancellor Scholz to sign various agreements. These 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).
Furthermore, President Marcos aims to leverage Germany’s expertise in renewable energy to support the Philippines’ energy transition efforts and collaborate in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, aerospace, innovation and startups, IT-BPM, and mineral processing.
Vice President Sara Duterte is acting as the country’s caretaker during the President’s absence, as confirmed by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil. “VP Sara is the caretaker,” he said in a message to reporters.
Despite the business-focused nature of the visit, some Filipino migrant groups, including BAYAN Europe, plan to hold a protest rally in front of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in opposition to Marcos Jr.’s visit. The group criticizes the trip as an attempt to improve the Marcos family’s international image and also calls out the German government for supplying drones to the Philippines amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
After Berlin, President Marcos is scheduled to travel to Prague in the Czech Republic for a state visit.
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