PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hi! Good morning. Good morning, everyone. Patapos na tayo dito sa Berlin.

We’re happy to report that it has been— despite being relatively quick visit, marami tayong— it’s  very productive, both for the economic side and on the political side. And also, for the what we the call people-to-people, maraming Pilipino dito sa Germany. And all of these issues were discussed.

So, we had a very good conversation with the Chancellor, Chancellor Scholz. We talked about— aside from what we spoke about in the bilateral meeting lunch, we also talked about some many other issues that concern both our countries because what is happening for example in Ukraine, I was very interested to hear from him what his thoughts were on the events that transpire, what does he see is going to happen, and what Germany is doing as a response to that.

So, that too and we learned also from the Chancellor that he’s visiting Putin and he’s visiting Xi Jinping to talk about I think mostly the Ukrainian situation.

So, we are— I said that hopefully, we will be apprise with the situation, when it comes out in those meetings  we obviously hope for good result, both for the Ukrainian situation and hopefully even in the South China Sea, simply because the trade that goes to South Chine Sea is important, not only for the region but for the world.

So,  this is why, once again, Germany being in central Europe, the Philippines being the far east, still the interconnection are still very, very clear on what we have to— and the things that we have to do.

That’s what we have done so far.

We talked to some of the corporations who have operations already in the Philippines.

I just came out of a meeting with Bosch, Siemen’s factory for the gas turbines, Lufthansa Technik also because they have many plans for the Philippines.

Many of these companies have been in the Philippines for a long time but it was interesting for me and it’s important that we know what is it that they’re planning for the Philippines. So, that we can do what we can in government to support what they are trying to do and to see how we— how the partnership between government and the private sector will proceed from here— form here on.

It’s encouraging because  once again, the— all of these different entities seemed to be confident in the Philippines economic condition. And that is manifested by the fact that they are preparing to invest further and whatever. If they have production already, if they have already an operation in the Philippines, they tend to expand.

Some corporations they have already an operation in the Philippines, they want to put up new operations in the Philippines. And so, that’s again is an encouraging sign for us because we still are in competition with our neighbors.

So, we will follow on this up and again, tried to define government’s role in the transformation process that we went through.

So, that’s more or less the gist of what  we were able to do in these last two days.

Q: Sir, good morning, sir. Sir, regarding your meeting with the German Chancellor, I understand that you were able to discuss the drug war— the development of the drug  war with the German Chancellor. May we know if you were able to discuss with the Chancellor the ICC investigation in the Philippines?

PRESIDENT MARCOS: Yes, he brought it up in the lunch. And he just basically asked the status of that investigation into the drug war in the previous administration. And I explained to him our concerns over jurisdiction that we have explained many times over. Our concerns with the jurisdiction of the ICC  in the Philippines, and why we are not recognizing that jurisdiction, and the reason behind that.

So, I think he just wanted to be informed  but I went further beyond just explaining the position of the Philippines in vis-à-vis the ICC.

I also went further and said we have actually completely changed the concept of the anti-drug campaign. Which is something that I’ve said before and even before the election.

Is that in my view, the enforcement has— can only take you so far and we have taken it as far as we can. And in the opinion of some , we’ve taken it beyond.

So, kailangan natin tingnan is the prevention and the rehabilitation. Which is, I think, a different approach. And so, we are on a much different approach and he listened to my explanation. I think we’re satisfied with that.

Q: Thank you, sir.

Q: Good afternoon, Mr. President— good morning, sorry. Sir, can we get your statement on the statement of President Xi Jinping urging the armed forces to coordinate preparation for military conflicts at sea, what [unclear] person of interest, and [unclear] element of teritory. What’s your take on this, Mr. President?

PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, frankly, I don’t think there’s anything new there.

That’s what they’ve been doing already. They have defined the 10-Dash line, and the continue to [unclear] defend it and for our part continue to defend what we— and the international community has recognize as our maritime territory.

So,  although he did not— President Xi Jinping did not state that outright until now, that really has been the policy since I think years already, for the last two or three years.

So, I’m not surprised, but we will have to continue to do what we can to defend our maritime territory in the face of perhaps  a more active attempt by the Chinese to annex some of our territory.

Q: There are report that magkakaroon po ng meeting next week with the Secretary State of the US, the Prime Minister of Japan, and our DFA about ‘yung cooperation with the US-Japan-Philippines. And there are also reports that may meeting daw po kayo in Washington next month. Would you mind sharing what you want—the outcomes that you desire in these meetings?

PRESIDENT MARCOS: The first item I will be seeing, meeting with Secretary Anthony Blinken on Tuesday. But I don’t know what are the schedules. Let’s ask the Foreign Secretary on the specific itineraries that—wala pa. Ang confirmed na meeting lang so far, as far as I know, is the meeting with Secretary Blinken on Tuesday.

DFA SECRETARY MANALO: Thank you, Mr. President. It is confirmed that Secretary Blinken will be arriving in the 18th in the evening [unlcear] I think he will [unclear] with the President late on the day of the 19th.

As for Japan, it’s not confirmed if they will be coming or not, but at this stage we haven’t received any confirmation.

Q: Mr. President, ano po yung outcomes that you—on top of mind—ano po yung outcomes that you want from this initial talks po about cooperating with the US and Japan?

PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, of course, we hope the intention is to continue to plan, to strengthen the cooperation between the three countries—the United States, Japan, and the Philippines. And we will perhaps formalize it but we, at this point, we are still…that’s part of the discussion that we will be having to exactly what will be put in any agreement.

It is probably just formalizing what we are already doing, which will put a bit more structure to what we will do as a [unclear] interoperability and the actual joint cruises that we are having.

So, that is still in flux so we have to talk about it some more. Let’s wait for the developments that will come from DC, from Tokyo, and here in Manila.

Q: Good afternoon, Mr. President. Sir, may we just get your reaction on the latest tirades of former president Duterte. He said you are in favor of Cha-Cha because you are pushing for term extension just like what your father did, late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

And he also criticized sir, your foreign travels. Ang sabi po niya, pasyal na lang daw po kayo nang pasyal during the latest rally po sa Liwasang Bonifacio, sir. May we get you on that sir?

PRESIDENT MARCOS: Ito ‘yung schedule ko o. San yung pasyal? This is my schedule for today. Where is the paseyo? Wala. Ayan o ‘yung kasama ko rito, kasama nyo kami. We don’t make pasyal.

Even in the places that I know where I’ve spent a lot of time with, hindi ko napupuntahan yung mga dati kong  pinupuntahan because we’re here to do this.

And as to the other comments, nako-confuse kasi ako sa–kay PRRD kung bakit papalit-palit e. So I’ll have to examine it further really kasi very kulang ang naririnig ang balita at ang kaniyang mga remarks.

So, tingnan ko muna kung ano ba talaga ang sinabi niya para maintindihan ko dahil hindi ko talaga naintindihan kasi parang naiiba. Bawat salita niya iba e. So, I will try to make sense of it.

Q: Sir, magbi-birthday po si President Duterte sa March 28. Mayroon po ba kayong birthday wish, or message for your predecessor, sir?

PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, yes. We will, of course, wish him a happy birthday, and many happy returns. At talaga namang that is, alam mo naman tayong mga Pilipino ginagalang natin ‘yung mga very important occasions na ganiyan.

Like I told you before, although there is an official greeting from the Office of the President, there will also be greeting. Personal ko namang kilala si PRRD.

So, like I told you many times before, hindi ako namemersonal. Para sa akin, hindi naman madali, pero nahihiwalay ko ‘yung trabaho at saka ‘yung personal. So, I don’t see a problem there.

Q: Sir, makikihingi lang po kami ng update about the condition of your mother, former First Lady?

PRESIDENT MARCOS: Pagaling na nang pagaling. Today is—lalabas na siguro siya sa ospital. She’s scheduled to come out on, I think, Thursday kasi matatapos—ang nangyari kagaya noong bulletin na inilabas namin, although she was feeling better already, wala na ‘yung lagnat. Pabawas na talaga ‘yung lagnat niya, by now wala na. ‘Yung mga doktor nag-decide maiwan muna siya sa ospital habang binibigyan pa siya ng antibiotics, hanggang sa matapos ‘yung course of antibiotics.

So, ang ano nila is—ang sabi nila sa akin when I last spoke to them was [unclear].

So, she is in good spirits and she’s—the usual good sign: gusto nang umuwi, nirereklamo ‘yung pagkain sa ospital, marami nang gustong puntahan. Marami nang gusto.

Alam niyo naman ‘yung mother ko. Pinakamahirap para sa kanya ‘yung walang ginagawa. Kaya’t medyo nandoon na tayo ngayon. So, as i said, that’s a good sign.

So, I look forward to seeing her again back on her feet and out of the hospital.

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