Philippine President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos got a first-hand look of the purple orchid that Singapore has named after them, in honor of their state visit to the country.
“Dendrobium Ferdinand Louise Marcos” was described as “a robust and free-flowering orchid hybrid.”
It develops semi-arching inflorescences that are 50 to 70 centimeters long and include 20 to 30 symmetrically placed blooms that are each about 4 centimeters wide.
The curled sepals of the orchid feature a white background with lavender striations, and its petals are white with bluish purple flushes.
The practice of naming a new orchid species cultivated in Singapore after a foreign leader or celebrity is known as “orchid diplomacy,” and Marcos is the most recent leader to receive this distinction.
The orchid’s nomenclature, according to Whang Lay Keng, curator of the Singapore Botanical Garden, illustrates the strong diplomatic connections between the two nations, which will “grow and proliferate” like the orchid.
Imelda Romualdez Marcos, a previous first lady of the Philippines and the President’s mother, was among the individuals whose orchid types were named after in the past.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the former president, also has an orchid named after her.
The late president Corazon “Cory” Aquino and his mother, the late president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, received similar honors.
