Opinion: Marcos US Trip Busy, But Seems Unproductive; Pursued by Demonstrators in NY Activities

Photo by Lambert Parong © KMC 2022

ON MY WATCH

BY MANUEL CABALLERO

MARCOS US TRIP BUSY, BUT SEEMS UNPRODUCTIVE; PURSUED BY DEMONSTRATORS IN NY ACTIVITIES

'Pres.' Bongbong Marcos 7-day trip to  New York last week was busy with meetings and speeches, but he has not announced concrete results nor investment pledges from US business groups unlike in his recent trips to Indonesia and Singapore.

In a story published by Manila's GMA News, Mr. Marcos assessed his trip as "successful".

No story about his activities was published by the two leading international newspapers in NY, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal nor aired by any NY TV station.

Instead, the New York Times published a story about the 50th Anniversary of Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Nine former Filipino victims of Martial rule, who are now in their 70’s, were featured in the Times story.

The Washington Post, on the other hand, featured the sideline meeting at the UN between Pres. Biden and Mr. Marcos. Although, the highlight of the story was what the US president said, not what the PH president said.

It was interesting to observe that in all the president's events, the address in an empty UN Hall, the speech in the New York Stock Exchange, the talk in Asia Society, the meet and greet with Filipino Americans, Mr. Marcos was followed by demonstrators who were mostly Fil Ams, either college students or recent graduates. 

The rallyists, who keenly analyzed the Marcoses, denounced the president for supposedly being an election cheat, corrupt and for lying and revising history in order to get votes. They also accused the Marcoses of bankrupting and plundering the coffers of the PH during Marcos Sr. years. Human rights abuses were also among the leading denunciations.

The Marcos travel entourage, composed of cabinet members, as well as, members of his nuclear and extended families, have reportedly returned to Manila.

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