MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte has made at least eight known trips to international destinations in the past year, based on media bulletins from her office and publicly available reports of her whereabouts.
The OVP typically announces these trips as being personal or family-related. But Duterte's travels — especially those that she makes to The Hague to visit the detained former president Rodrigo Duterte — have also drawn the scrutiny of her critics. This includes Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, who, in June, accused Duterte of shirking her responsibilities to Filipinos as a globe-trotting vice president.
Duterte's trips abroad have also coincided with important developments in her impeachment case in Congress.
The vice president herself has defended her ability to "multitask," saying she continued to run the Office of the Vice President remotely during her extended time overseas.
From joining rallies in Australia to a nearly month-long stay in The Hague, Duterte’s movements have prompted explanations from her office and questions from the public on what exactly the vice president is doing far from home.
Here’s a breakdown of Duterte's foreign trips since July 2024 — what the OVP said, and what else happened.
| Destination |
Travel dates |
Purpose (according to OVP) |
What else was reported |
| Germany |
July 2024
|
Personal trip with family |
Photos posted by supporters of the vice president showed her meeting with Filipino community leaders, including members of the Hakbang ng Maisug International Germany. |
| Japan |
January 2025
|
OVP announced on January 13 that Duterte was back in Manila after "[visiting] Japan over the weekend." She visited various OFW groups during the course of her "private trip." |
|
| Hong Kong |
March 2025
Return: March 11, 3:21pm
|
OVP announced on March 11 that Duterte was back in Manila with her children after "a personal trip to Hong Kong last weekend." |
The vice president had joined her father in Hong Kong to attend a sortie for PDP-Laban candidates. Duterte arrived back at NAIA hours after her father was arrested by local police. The cops were acting on an Interpol notice in connection with the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant for the former president. |
| Netherlands |
March 12
Return: April 6
|
The vice president travels to The Hague to assist her father's lawyers. |
During her almost month-long stay, the vice president defended herself against criticism from Malacañang, which had urged her to return to fulfill her duties as vice president. In a virtual press conference, Duterte insisted she was "multitasking" and managing her office remotely while coordinating her father's legal defense. |
| Qatar; Netherlands |
May 26 – Jun 4
Return: June 5
|
Duterte first met with Filipino workers in Qatar on May 27. She then visited her father in his detention facility on May 30, and then in the first week of June. |
Sen. Imee Marcos was with Duterte during her travels to Qatar and The Hague. |
| Malaysia |
June 2025
Return: June 14
|
Duterte attended an Independence Day celebration and engaged with overseas Filipino workers on June 12. |
Duterte was on her Malaysia trip while senators were deciding on the impeachment proceedings against her. The Senate eventually decided to return the impeachment complaint to the House. |
| Australia |
June 2025
Return: June 24
|
Duterte attended a "Free Duterte Now" rally in Melbourne. |
During the rally, Duterte told her father's supporters to bring up the elder Duterte's ICC case with the Australian government. She also said Australia was on the defense team's "list" of possible host countries that could temporarily host the elder Duterte. The vice president also said she tried to set a last-minute meeting with Australian foreign minister Penny Wong. But Wong was unable to meet with her due to prior commitments. Duterte later clarified that there was no official request from her father's lawyers for the Australian government to host his interim release. |
| Netherlands |
July 8, 2025
|
The OVP said Duterte was in The Hague "as part of her scheduled rotation visit to Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte." |
A day later, the OVP introduced lawyer Ruth Castelo as its new spokesperson. |
Duterte may also be soon bound for Kuwait based on Malacañang's response to reporters' questions on Wednesday, August 6. The OVP has not confirmed Duterte's travel plans. — with reports by Rosette Adel
