President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (Malacañang Photo)
President Marcos is well, Malacañang said, dispelling claims that he is ill.
"Definitely," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace press briefing on Monday, April 6, when asked if the President was well.
"Maayos po siya. Mamaya po maaari n'yo pong malaman (He is doing well. You’ll be able to find out later)," Castro added.
While Marcos skipped his first event on Monday morning in Quezon City, Castro said he will make it to an oathtaking ceremony at the Malacañan Palace on Monday afternoon.
"Mamaya po ay magkakaroon ng oathtaking with the vice mayors. So meron po siyang event (Later, there will be an oath-taking ceremony with the vice mayors, so he has an event scheduled)," the Palace official said.
Marcos is scheduled to grace the oath-taking ceremony of the Vice Mayor's League of the Philippines National Executive Officers at 2:30 p.m.
The clarification from the Palace mouthpiece came after social media posts questioned whether the President was well, following his posting of an old photo with his family on Easter.
Castro reminded the public to remain vigilant against fake news.
"Tayo naman po ay mainstream media. Siguro mas mangingibabaw dapat ang mainstream media kaysa sa mga SocMed na walang basehan. So, wag po tayo masyadong maniwala. Ang dami dami pong fake news, pati po ako ay bininiktima ng fake news (We are part of the mainstream media, so it should carry more weight than baseless claims on social media. Let’s not be too quick to believe them. There’s so much fake news, I myself have been a victim of it)," Castro said.
Marcos spent the Holy Week in his hometown in Ilocos Norte.