Marcos, First Lady join world leaders in ASEAN 2023 gala

JAKARTA —President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos joined ASEAN heads of states and world leaders in a gala dinner hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Wednesday night.

Marcos wore a batik—the national dress of Indonesian men while the First Lady wore a red terno.

The Filipino First Couple and other leaders and their spouses were welcomed by Jokowi and wife Iriana Joko Widodo. Also present at the gala was the Marcoses' son Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos.

During the gala, the First Lady was seen clapping and swaying to the music as Indonesian singer Rinni entertained the guests with Abba’s hit “Dancing Queen.”

Other leaders at the gala were Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Lao PDR Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, and Thai permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sarun Charoensuwan.

Also at the gala dinner were US Vice President Kamala Harris, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Cook Island Prime Minister Mark Brown, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio,  Russian Federation Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, and Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. —NB, GMA Integrated News