Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro reassured the public that President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. is in good condition, despite appearing to have a cold while delivering his speech at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York.

“Hindi ko po natanong kung siya ay may sipon, pero siguro dahil sa sobrang lamig, baka normal lang,” Castro told reporters, referring to the unusually cold weather in the city.

The concern arose after Marcos appeared to have a runny nose while delivering his address, prompting questions about his health among the media and observers.

“Siguro normal lang sa weather. Pero he’s okay. He’s okay po,” she added.

Marcos had previously been diagnosed with diverticulitis, a digestive condition that causes inflammation of small pouches in the colon, which has occasionally raised public concern over his well-being.

The President is in New York on a working visit, scheduled to speak at the Special Session of the UN General Assembly and advocate for the Philippines’ bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.