MANILA — Malacañang remained mum on Sunday on reports that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. was in Singapore to watch the F1 grand Prix.

As of Sunday night, Malacanang has yet to respond to multiple requests for a statement on Marcos’ alleged weekend trip to Singapore even as pictures of the President attending the event already made rounds on social media.

A photo of the President's son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos was also shown on F1 Singapore's official website.

Prior to this, members of the Palace Press Corps had repeatedly asked the Office of the Press Secretary to confirm reports of the President’s trip, which came shortly after super typhoon Karding’s devastation of Central Luzon, and less than a week after his 6-day working visit to the United States.

The OPS on Friday simply told Palace reporters that they had no information yet on the trip.

Activist groups meanwhile criticized Marcos for allegedly watching the race even as the country faced economic problems.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said this was “irresponsible” on Marcos’ part, especially after the devastation wrought by super typhoon Karding.

"We are in the middle of an economic crisis where inflation will again reach record highs, public debt has breached P13 trillion, and millions of Filipinos are reeling from the effects of Typhoon Karding," said Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr.

KMP chairman emeritus and former Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano also criticized Marcos for allegedly flying to Singapore on a leisure trip.

"While Filipino farmers are still reeling from the damaging effects of the super typhoon, Marcos Jr. is 'living the life' and having a relaxing time abroad," Mariano said in a statement.

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The F1 Grand Prix, the first after 2 years, was held at the Marina Bay street circuit.

- With reports from Pia Gutierrez and Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

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