The Philippine Star reported on the 29th that after Marcos was diagnosed with bronchitis, the presidential office in the Philippines insisted that there was no need to worry about the president‘s health condition.
Since the diagnosis was confirmed, Marcos‘ public appearances have mostly been limited to photos and videos released by the presidential palace. He has basically missed major events, and was represented by his administrative secretary, Rector. On 28th, Rector represented Marcos at an award ceremony honoring outstanding civil servants. In an interview, Rector said that doctors had advised Marcos to take a week‘s rest. Rector said that he himself had had catarrh last year, but had fully recovered. Rector expects Marcos to recover in the next few weeks as well.
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Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca, minister of tourism, spoke on behalf of Marcos at the opening ceremony of the ASEAN tourism forum held on the 28th, according to the Philippines‘ Laplace News website. “The president is recuperating, but he may be absent from some public events,” said Gomez, head of the press office at the Presidential Palace.
Hong Kong‘s South China Morning Post reported on the 29th that Marcos had last appeared on the 22nd, when the presidential palace released a one-minute video in which he said, “I now have catarrh. This is a common disease.” The video was intended to quell rumors that morning. At the time, local media reported that the president had undergone a night of “medical observation” in the hospital due to physical discomfort. News and rumors about Marcos‘s surgery sparked a reaction from political opponents, who called for his resignation on the grounds that Marcos‘s health condition had worsened.
The Philippine Star reported that some journalists covering the president‘s whereabouts received anonymous messages saying that Marcos‘ health condition was rapidly deteriorating and he was no longer able to perform his duties. Under the Philippine Star Constitution, if the president does indeed lose his ability to perform his duties, a succession process should be initiated, with a vice president acting as head of state. Presidential press officer Castro refuted these reports as completely untrue.