Duran Duran performed at Marcos’ 67th birthday party as a ‘surprise’

Malacañang confirmed that Duran Duran held a private concert during President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’ 67th birthday party, but clarified that it came as a “surprise” to him.

In a statement shared on the Presidential Communications Office’s Facebook page on Saturday, Sept. 14, the Palace said that Marcos had his birthday celebration “after a tiring day filled with official engagements.”

According to Malacañang, Marcos treated the first part of his special day "as just another busy day in the office, with the same dedication to his job that has marked his presidency."

"He traveled hundreds of kilometers to grant farmers a condonation of their debts and gifted them with a new financing program that will boost farm yields and farmers’ incomes. He ordered the payment of the bills incurred that day by qualified patients in third-level DOH hospitals. He opened the gates of Malacañang, where food booths awaited people from all walks of life who came from near and far to greet him a happy birthday," it said.

The Palace noted that the Chief Executive turned another year older "with his signature compassion for the needy and the sick, and his deep appreciation for the farmers who feed the nation."

Marcos then spent the rest of his birthday with his longtime friends, who threw a party for him at a hotel in Pasay City. "To his surprise and appreciation, music was provided by Duran Duran," Malacañang continued without providing additional details on the band’s participation at the event.

The statement came after blogger Sass Sasot shared a photo of the English pop rock group’s performance during Marcos' birthday bash in a Facebook post, saying that she learned that Duran Duran was asked to keep their concert “very private” in their contract. It went viral on the social media platform, garnering over 10,000 reactions as of writing.

Duran Duran became famous in the 1980s. It's known for the hit songs Hungry Like The Wolf, Rio, Ordinary World, among others.

TAGS: Malacañang Bongbong Marcos MARCOS duran duran

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Brooke Villanueva

Deputy Editor

Brooke Villanueva is the deputy editor of PhilSTAR L!fe, covering everything lifestyle—with a focus on food and travel. Apart from her responsibilities as a lifestyle journalist, she is also taking her MBA at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business. She has completed a certificate program on the fundamentals of business developed by top faculty at Harvard Business School. Follow her on Instagram at @itsbrookevillanueva.