By Azer Parrocha
President Rodrigo Duterte does not need to prove that he is working because the nation believes that he is on top of the Covid-19 situation, Malacañang said on Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this statement amid criticism over photos released by Senator Christopher “Bong” Go that show Duterte jogging and playing golf in his official residence in Malacañan Palace to dispel speculations over the state of his health.
Duterte decided to skip his regular talk to the nation last week after over a hundred of his close-in security detail contracted Covid-19.
Netizens demanded “proof of work”, instead of “proof of life” from the Duterte administration as Filipinos continue to struggle from the impact of prevailing health crisis.
Roque said the President does not need to “brag” about being busy in carrying out his presidential duties since his mind is occupied by thoughts about the country and people 24/7.
“Ang Presidente walang iniisip kundi yung mga problema ng bayan. May mga iba kasi nagpapakita lang pag sila'y nagpapatrabaho para lang pagpapakita purposes. Pero alam naman natin na ang Presidente natin 24/7 ang kaniyang pag-iisip ay nasa bayan po (The President does not think about anything else except the problems of the country. There are some showing they’re working just for the sake of showing that they’re working. But we know that the President is thinking about the nation 24/7),” he said in a virtual presser.
Despite being out of the public eye, Roque said Duterte continued to oversee the government’s Covid-19 response efforts, including vaccine procurement and rollout.
“The President made all the decisions he needs to make particularly on the quarantine classifications. Patuloy din ang kaniyang pag-supervise dito sa acquisition ng mga bakuna at pagsisigurado na ang bakuna ay naro-rollout at the soonest time possible (He also continues to supervise the acquisition of vaccines and ensures that vaccines are rolled out the soonest possible time),” he said.
He noted that it was not Duterte’s style to show “proof of work” just to please anyone.
“So ang assumption niyo po kinakailangan magpakita para patunay na nagta-trabaho ang Presidente. Hindi po ganun ang istilo ng ating Presidente. Hindi na po niya kinakailangan ipagmayabang sa publiko na siya ay nagtatrabaho (So your assumption is he needs to prove he’s working? That’s not the President’s style. He doesn’t need to brag to the public about working),” he added.
Roque said Filipinos believe that Duterte continues to discharge his duties as the country’s highest elected official.
“At ang taumbayan naman ay naniniwala naman po na talagang on top of the situation ang President even if hindi niya pinangangalandakan ito sa taumbayan (The people believe that the President is on top of the situation even if he doesn’t brag about them),” he added.
Asked why Duterte did not announce the country’s new quarantine classifications despite the availability of teleconference programs like Zoom, Roque said the announcement of quarantine classifications was usually his job.
“E ako naman po talaga yung nag-aanunsyo ng mga classifications after he approves them…Talaga ako naman po nag-aanunsyo niyan except lang kung yung simula ng buwan coincides with the talk to the people on a Monday (I’m the one who announces classifications after he approves them. I’m the one who does announcements except if the start of the month coincides with the talk to the people on a Monday),” he said.
He said Duterte is set to hold his regular talk to the people after meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members on Monday night.
“This confirms that PRRD will hold his talk to the people tonight. I will join online,” Roque said in a text message.
Roque also turned down calls for Duterte to release a medical bulletin, insisting that these papers are only being released if the President is sick.
“A medical bulletin is only given when the President is sick and he is not sick,” he said.
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