Amid the severe rains and strong winds pummeling several areas in the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday joined a summit of Southeast Asian leaders while typhoon Ulysses lashed Luzon overnight.
Duterte is participating in the 37th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit from Nov. 12 to 15 “via video conference”, his office earlier said.
He will advance Philippine positions on public health emergencies cooperation, regional economic integration, migrant workers’ rights, climate change, disaster risk reduction management, counter-terrorism, and the South China Sea issue,” the Office of the President said Wednesday.
Moments after his attendance was confirmed, the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo trended as some social media users questioned the President’s whereabouts during the onslaught of the typhoon.
In late October, the hashtag also trended after Duterte, who was then in his hometown Davao City, skipped a Cabinet-level briefing on super typhoon Rolly.
