Vice President Sara Duterte on Saturday, Dec. 16, announced that she would discharge her duties as the country’s caretaker in Davao City.

Duterte was appointed as the caretaker while President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. is in Tokyo, Japan for his three-day official visit.

“The Vice President will discharge her duties and will preside as Chairperson of the Executive Committee meetings in Davao City during the official travel abroad of President Marcos from December 15 to 18,” the Vice President said in an official statement posted on her Facebook page.

“She will hold office in DepEd [Department of Education] NEAP [National Educators' Academy of the Philippines] Davao and OVP [Office of the Vice President] Davao Satellite office. Thank you,” she added.

On Friday, Dec. 15, Marcos left the country to attend the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations -Japan Commemorative Summit where he will put forward the country’s “position on current international issues and advance the interest of the country.”

According to the Presidential Communications Office, more than five business deals and memoranda of understanding are set to be signed on the sidelines of Marcos’ participation in the summit.