Back from Australia, Marcos visits mom in hospital

MANILA, Philippines — Arriving from a four-day official visit to Australia late Wednesday, President Marcos went straight to his mother, former first lady Imelda Marcos, who is confined in a hospital due to “slight pneumonia.”

The President was accompanied by First Lady Liza Marcos, according to Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil.

In a statement, the PCO said Marcos’ plane landed at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at 11:34 p.m. No other details were given.

The President left Manila on Sunday for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Australia Special Summit held in Melbourne on March 4 to 6.

Reporting on his visit, Marcos late yesterday afternoon said on X that his 94-year-old mother is “feeling much better” and is “on the path to recovery.”

“My mother is feeling much better. I visited her last night after arriving from Melbourne and she was awake, alert, and even up at midnight,” the President said.

“In consultation with her medical team, it has been confirmed that her fever is gradually subsiding, and she is on the path to recovery,” he said.

The President said the family decided to keep her in the hospital until she finishes her prescribed course of antibiotic treatment.

“This measure (continued stay in hospital) will also afford her the necessary rest and continuous medical supervision,” the Chief Executive said. “Thank you for your concerns and well-wishes during this time.”

Earlier yesterday, the PCO also said rumors on the former first lady’s passing were “fake news.”

In his arrival message from Australia, the Chief Executive expressed confidence the Philippines has set the “right tone” for regional discussions during the meeting of leaders of ASEAN and Australia.

“The summit provided an opportunity to discuss regional and international issues and how ASEAN and individual member states such as the Philippines may contribute to the peace, security, and prosperity of our immediate neighborhood: the Indo-Pacific,” he said.

“As a commemorative summit, it also provided a chance to take stock of how the ASEAN-Australia relationship has progressed in the last 50 years (and) how we may, together, move forward as we advance common values such as peace, environmental stewardship, and how mutual economic progress benefits both Australia and ASEAN,” Marcos said.

He said the Philippines was able to reinforce the growing interest of Australia in investing in the Philippines.

“This interest is confirmed in Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 where four key sectors were identified as investment priorities in the Philippines, to wit, agriculture and food, education and skills, resources, and green transition,” Marcos said.

He also cited the $1.53 billion worth of investment deals secured by the country during his visit to Australia, covering renewable energy, clean technology, recycling solutions, housing, IT-BPM infrastructure, medical devices and digital health services.

Marcos said the Philippines also received strong commitments from Australian companies on its renewable energy and digitalization initiatives.