Marcos trip Down Under allows revisit to sweet spots

MELBOURNE – President Marcos’ latest overseas trip allowed him to revisit his favorite spots in the country where he took some rest after a grueling yet successful campaign for the presidency in 2022.

Marcos came here to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - Australia Special Summit, but managed to have some side trips with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos during his free time.

Upon his arrival last Monday, the President had a late dinner at the Stalactites, a popular Greek restaurant he described as one of his favorite spots here.

“Late dinner at our favorite spot in Melbourne. Ran into some kababayans there. A great start to our trip,” he wrote on his Instagram account.

In a separate Instagram post, Marcos posted a photo of him having a walk and browsing books in a bookstore with the First Lady.

“Enjoyed a short stroll with @lizamarcos, revisiting places where the family would spend time when we visited Vinny here in Melbourne,” the President said, referring to his youngest son Vincent.

Before the start of the leaders’ retreat at the Government House Victoria, Marcos had the opportunity to feed and pet a koala, one of the symbols of Australia.

“Delighted to have met Hank and Winnie, the koalas who concluded #ASEAN50AUS,” he said, using the official hashtag of the summit.

In 2022, Marcos had a private trip in Australia after winning the elections by landslide.

The President was scheduled to return to the Philippines last night.

Meanwhile, 80 organizations and individuals yesterday called out Marcos for misrepresenting facts about the martial law and the dictatorship of his namesake and father Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

In a joint statement, groups led by Project Gunita, which archives materials related to martial law, pointed out lies made by the President during his interview with ABC News on March 4.

“President Marcos has yet again tried to lie his way out of questions concerning his family’s brutal dictatorship and its legacy,” the statement read.

“He even laughed at the question about his family’s plunder of Philippine wealth, in effect insulting the impoverished Filipino people. We ask the same question on President Marcos: What was so funny about it?” it added. -  Janvic Mateo