The Palace has denied allegations that preparations and beautification projects for the ASEAN Summit are intended to improve the personal image of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., following criticism from Bagong Alyansang Makabayan President Renato Reyes.
Reyes criticized the preparations, claiming that the public was being inconvenienced because of what he described as the president’s “vanity.”
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro defended the government’s efforts, saying the objective is to present a positive image of the Philippines to foreign leaders and visitors attending the regional gathering.
Castro said the preparations are also intended to encourage foreign visitors to invest in the country.
Among the measures implemented for the summit are the installation of facades and barriers covering certain portions of rivers along roads leading to airports.
According to Castro, these installations are part of the government’s security preparations for the international event.
She also explained that the structures serve as displays for artworks created by Filipino artists.
The Palace maintained that the preparations are focused on representing the country before international delegates rather than promoting the president’s personal image.
The issue emerged following public criticism over the measures being implemented ahead of the ASEAN Summit, particularly the structures covering portions of rivers along major airport routes.
