President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday joked about being in Japan while visiting an evacuation center in Noveleta, Cavite amid rumors he is in the Land of the Rising Sun as severe tropical storm "Paeng" battered the country over the weekend.

"Welcome to Hokkaido (Japan!)," Marcos said in jest after an ambush interview at the San Jose Evacuation Center.

Reporters tried to ask the President for an official statement following his remark, but Marcos only laughed in response.

Dodging questions, Marcos waved goodbye and stepped out of the center.

Rumors that the president was in Japan surfaced when he failed to physically attend the Paeng situation briefing of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The Chief Executive remotely presided over the meeting via Zoom, with his video footage showing a background of what seemed to be a kitchen countertop sink, bowl, oven and bread toaster.

Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge and undersecretary Cheloy Garafil shot down the rumor that the President was abroad while the country is reeling from the storm.

"He is not in Japan," Garafil told reporters in a text message on Sunday, without giving further details about Marcos's whereabouts.

Meanwhile, the Facebook page of Dawang's Eatery, a popular restaurant in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, showed photos of the President with some of his family members having lunch there on Sunday afternoon.