While my family and I were vacationing in beautiful Laos over the weekend, the President took a much-deserved break and watched the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Singapore. The political gadflies and internet trolls, as expected, went into overdrive. Maliciously, they called it a junket. I consider it a jaunt and a business trip rolled into one. Some well-meaning administration supporters also expressed concern over the supposed negative optics of the trip.

So what? It has been my reaction to the hullabaloo. Public figures have the right to privacy and family life. Like any normal human being, President Marcos Jr. deserves rest and recreation. He can spend his free time accordingly but in accordance with the law. Of course, the chief executive is expected to render services beyond official working hours, particularly in times of crisis.

Formula 1 diplomacy

The Philippine-Singapore ties have gone from strength to strength in recent years. In 2021, Singapore became the country's top foreign investor as it infused US$716 million into our pandemic and calamity-hit economy. Last September, the President's official visit to our wealthy Southeast Asian neighbor yielded US$6.5 billion in investment pledges.

I consider the President's recent business and pleasure trip as a follow-through. I call it "F1 diplomacy" that only a skilled politician like him can pull off. Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles described the trip as productive. Singaporean Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng, via a Facebook post, confirmed that he met with PBBM and other foreign dignitaries on the sidelines of the F1 race. The discussion centered on boosting our economic relations, energy cooperation, and manpower policy collaboration.

Again, I reiterate that the President is entitled to private life. Not every piece of information about or related to him is for public consumption.