By Claire. Morales True, Managing Editor

MANILA/NEW YORK – Amid threats of big rallies over the flood control scandal, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has dropped plans to attend the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) High Level Week at the UN headquarters in New York City next week.

A big protest rally, billed as “Trillion Peso March,” has been by various sectors at the Quirino grandstand in Rizal Park on September 21, anniversary of the proclamation of martial law, and coinciding with the supposed attendance of Marcos in the UN summit.

In a Malacanang statement, President Marcos instead would focus on domestic matters and had asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro to represent him at the UNGA 80 High Level Week beginning September 22.

“The President has delegated his engagements at the UNGA to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to allow him to focus on local issues,” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez said in a statement.

Marcos visited the White House only last July 20 to 22 upon the invitation of US President Donald Trump. During that visit, Trump announced 19% tariff on Philippine exports to US, down by only one percent from 20 percent.

Marcos attended the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York in September 2022 and delivered a speech there when he assumed the presidency. At the sideline of that meeting, Marcos met with then US President Joe Biden.

Marcos did not attend the UNGA in 2024 and 2023 and was instead represented by former Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

Marcos visited Washington, D.C. in April 2024 to attend the first US-Philippines-Japan Trilateral Summit.

In November 2023, President Marcos attended the 30th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting and related activities in San Francisco, California.

After the summit, the President had working visits to Los Angeles, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii, where he met business leaders and the Filipino community.

President Marcos had four activities on Monday, including the announcement of the complete composition of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) led by former Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr. to look into irregularities in flood control and other infrastructure projects.

No one will be spared in the investigation, including Speaker Martin Romualdez and allies like former Rep. Zaldy Co, who is known to be a contractor, Marcos assured.

The President also maintained that the ICI would be completely independent.

After the televised press conference announcement in Malacanang, the President proceeded to San Pablo City, Laguna, to lead the inauguration and awarding of more than 1,000 new housing units at St. Barts Southville Heights.

The house and lot units were awarded to informal settler-families affected by the ongoing construction of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) South Long Haul Project Segment 2-7.

From Laguna, the President went to Tuy, Batangas, where he led the energization of the Citicore Solar Batangas 1 Power Plants in Barangay Lumbangan.

The event highlighted the administration’s commitment to expanding the country’s renewable energy portfolio and ensuring sustainable power supply for local communities and industries.

In the afternoon, the Chief Executive graced the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program National Culminating Activity held at the University of Makati auditorium.

The program, which promotes reading and learning support for children, reflects the administration’s emphasis on strengthening foundational education and youth development.