MANILA, Philippines - Former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada skipped the ANC presidential forum on Friday to shoot his campaign infomercials.

Estrada was the only presidential aspirant who failed to attend the forum, which is currently taking place at the De La Salle University-Taft (DLSU Taft). Watch the live stream here.

According to Estrada's spokesperson Margaux Salcedo, the production outfit handling the former president's television advertisements "could not accommodate our request for a change of date to shoot his infomercial."

"(President Estrada) had been eager to attend, recognizing the importance of this event as the first presidential forum hosted by DLSU, and the opportunity to share his agenda for the youth," Salcedo said in a statement released Friday.

"We truly regret not being able to participate in this forum, especially because there are a number of us La Sallites in the Erap camp. We just take comfort in the fact that there are many other opportunities to share President Estrada's youth agenda," she added.

Asked where Estrada's informercials will be focused on, Salcedo said: "The ads focus on the issues of agriculture and peace and order."

Meanwhile, Salcedo assured that Estrada will be attending the forums hosted by DLSU-Cavite on February 2 and by Far Eastern University on February 5.