SINGAPORE: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr defended his decision to attend the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix 2026, calling it a “happy coincidence” that the race will be held during his working visit and offers opportunities to meet potential investors.
In an exclusive interview with The Straits Times on Oct 8, Marcos said the annual race has become such a major international event that business conferences and meetings among political and business leaders are scheduled around it.
“Yes, happy coincidence,” Marcos said, when asked about attending one of the most prestigious and glamorous motor racing events in South-east Asia from Oct 9 to 11.
His invitation to the race came from Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The two leaders are expected to meet privately during the race weekend to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional developments.
Marcos is on a five-day working visit to Singapore where his itinerary also includes a question-and-answer session at the Forbes Global CEO Conference on Oct 8 and a visit to the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute on Oct 9.
His decision to attend the Singapore Grand Prix, however, has drawn criticism in the Philippines, with some questioning the cost as the country grapples with a massive corruption scandal involving flood-control projects.
Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo Macaraig said on Oct 7 that the Philippine government will not shoulder any cost of the president’s attendance at the race.
This is not the first time that Marcos has faced pushback about the Singapore Grand Prix.
He was criticised for making an unannounced trip to Singapore to watch the race in October 2022, about three months after taking office, days after a powerful typhoon battered parts of the Philippines.
Asked what Filipinos stood to gain from his presence at this year's F1 race, Marcos pointed to opportunities to meet and engage with business leaders and potential investors, whose schedules would otherwise be difficult to coordinate.
He recalled attending the Singapore Grand Prix long before becoming president, when he found himself meeting influential personalities, including Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
“I was walking around. I met Lee Kuan Yew, I met this businessman... and I came to the conclusion: you come to the Singapore F1, you can meet anybody, everyone that you want.”
Marcos said that even Filipino businessmen had arranged meetings with him because they were in Singapore for the race themselves.
Still, Marcos said his official commitments would leave him with little time to actually watch the Singapore Grand Prix.
“I will see as much of it as I can. Of course, not like before, where I could spend the whole day there. What free time I’ll have, I will try to catch some of the action,” he said. - The Straits Times/ANN
