BBM faces backlash over ‘Duran Duran party’

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is facing criticism after English pop band Duran Duran performed at his 67th birthday party on September 13 at the Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.

While the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that the event was funded by the president’s friends “at no cost to the government,” many Filipinos are questioning the lavish celebration.

In several reports, Communications Secretary Cesar Chavez confirmed that the president’s close friends organized the party, which about 80 people attended.

The PCO emphasized that no government funds were used, saying the event came as a surprise to Marcos after a day of official engagements.

However, reports indicate that booking Duran Duran for private events typically costs between $500,000 and $875,000, converting from approximately P28.5 million to P49.875 million. This leads to public concerns about the financial scale of the celebration.

Many netizens criticized the president, pointing to Republic Act 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which prohibits public officials from accepting gifts of significant value.

One X (formerly Twitter) user under the name "Poy" said "True pala? Mr. @bongbongmarcos naghihirap po ang Pilipinas. Just a reminder that this stunt reminds us of how lavish u were in the era of your late father."

Meanwhile, Former finance undersecretary Cielo Magno cited this law, reminding the public that “as President, you cannot just accept gifts from friends.” She referred to Section 7(d) of the law, which explicitly bars public officials from receiving gifts that could be linked to their official duties.

This latest controversy follows previous instances where the president faced backlash for high-profile leisure activities, including attending a Coldplay concert and traveling to Singapore for the Formula One Grand Prix shortly after a super typhoon struck the country.

Despite the backlash, the PCO emphasized that President Marcos spent much of his birthday fulfilling his public duties. They highlighted his work granting debt condonation to farmers and allocating over P300 million for public hospital services.

The Palace also opened its grounds to the public, offering free food to visitors as part of the birthday celebrations. However, the debate over the Duran Duran performance continues, with many Filipinos demanding transparency regarding the funding of the event.(MyTVCebu)

• Tags
• # Duran Duran
• #Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
• #Presidential Communications Office
• #BBM Birthday
• #Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees
• #Public Funds