VP Duterte, Estrella, Bersamin to be caretakers during Marcos’ trip to US

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin will be the country’s caretakers while President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is in Washington, DC from April 11 to 13.

READ: VP Sara Duterte is caretaker during President’s US trip

According to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil, Duterte will be chair caretaker, while Estrella and Bersamin will serve as her assistants.

This arrangement has always existed, he added.

President Marcos is scheduled to depart for the United States on Wednesday afternoon to participate in the first trilateral meeting between the Philippines, the United States, and Japan.

READ: Marcos to discuss South China Sea dispute with US, Japan — Año

Aside from his meeting with United States President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Marcos will also have a one-on-one bilateral meeting with Biden.

READ: PH, US, Japan, Australia ‘cooperative activity’ set in WPS on April 7

While the Department of Foreign Affairs maintained that the meeting is not targeted at any specific country, the government said that recent tensions in the West Philippine Sea will be on the agenda.

The meeting also comes a few days after the three countries, together with Australia, conducted joint naval drills in the West Philippine Sea.