By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
At the Palace press briefing held on Monday, June 23, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro responded to media queries regarding President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ‘s sentiment about the bold statements uttered by Vice President Sara Duterte at a rally in Melbourne, Australia.
Castro has clarified that the P16 trillion debt cited by Duterte includes dues accumulated from the previous administration, citing that P12.79 trillion of which came from former President Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure as the government’s top official.
She said, noting President Marcos’ intent of uplifting the economy to address the needs of the masses, “Sa ngayon po ay pinipilit ng gobyerno, ng ating pamahalaan na maiwasan po na makapag-utang. At ninanais din po ng Pangulo at hinihiling na palakasin pa po natin ang ating ekonomiya at, of course, ang pagbabayad ng tamang buwis para po maiwasan na natin ang pag-utang nang malaki.”
The Palace press briefer lamented the Vice President’s lack of cognition about the fruits of the government’s various initiatives that have made a significant impact on Filipinos across the archipelago, citing examples such as the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers, expanded PhilHealth coverage on certain illnesses, the “Benteng Bigas, Mayroon (BBM) Na” program, and the “3+1 Pamilya Pass Promo” of LRT and MRT, among many others.
“Nakakalungkot po, mahirap po talaga – mahirap turuan ang walang alam at walang balak umalam. Mahirap din buksan ang mata ng bulag at nagbubulag-bulagan,” Castro declared.
On PBBM and VP Sara’s tandem during the 2022 polls
Meanwhile, she also reaffirmed that the Chief Executive did not make any pronouncements amid speculations about the latter having regrets on teaming up with Vice President Duterte during the 2022 national elections.
Castro said, “Wala po akong nadidinig sa Pangulo na siya po ay nanghinayang kung siya man po ay nakipag-team up sa Bise Presidente. Sa ugali po ng Pangulo, hindi po natin madidinig ang ganoong mga klaseng negatibo mula sa kanya.”
The Palace press briefer added, “Wala po tayong aasahan na anumang paninira kaninuman. So, iyan po ang Pangulo. Kung may nagsisisi man sa kaniya na maka-team up siya, it’s their loss, not the President’s.”
When quizzed by reporters about the Vice President’s new tirades against President Marcos, Castron cited these as baseless claims that were ‘part of an outdated script’ by the government’s second highest official.
Castro concluded in her response, “Budol, talaga? Hindi ko alam kung sino ba ang nambudol. Hindi natin alam kung sino ba ang nambubudol. Sa nakikita po natin na pagtatrabaho ng Pangulo, sa pag-uutos sa amin na focus sa trabaho at hindi pamumulitika – sino ba talaga ang nambubudol?”
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