President Ferdinand Marcos Jr cancelled his coming trip to the United States to attend the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this month to focus on ''local issues.''

In a brief statement to Palace reporters last Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Dave Gomez said: ''Yes, confirmed. It (UNGA participation) is cancelled. Attending in his place is Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro.

Marcos was supposed to leave on Sept. 21 until Sept. 25.

On Sept. 21, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos are expected to gather in two venues in Manila to protest the alleged huge anomalies in flood control projects estimated at billions of pesos.

Some projects, according to the House and Senate probes, never began or partially started while contractors were paid. A former public works official alleged that several lawmakers received cuts.

Marcos has ordered a review of the Department of Public Works and Highways budget for 2026 and cancelled funds for flood control projects for next year, stressing that it should spend the P350 billion set aside for 2025.

The military and police have gone on red alert in the leadup to the demonstration.

Protesters have called on the military to withdraw support to the government but the military said they will abide by the Constitution. DMS