President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will not attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland this month due to pressing domestic commitments, Malacañang confirmed.
In a message to reporters, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said the President has decided to skip the annual gathering of global leaders anew.
“No. He won’t attend WEF,” Recto said, noting that Marcos has “lots of work domestically.”
Recto added that Philippine participation in the forum will be overseen by Manuel Antonio Teehankee, the country’s permanent representative to the World Trade Organization and ambassador to Switzerland.
The WEF Annual Meeting 2026 will be held in Davos-Klosters from January 19 to 23. This marks the second consecutive year Marcos will miss the event.
In 2025, Recto, then finance secretary, represented the President as special envoy and head of the Philippine delegation.
The WEF annually convenes world leaders, policymakers, business executives, and civil society groups to discuss global economic trends and emerging international challenges.