DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo R. Duterte has set a limit to the country’s representation to climate change conferences to only one, lamenting that en masse travels abroad did nothing good for the country but drain government coffers.
During the welcome reception of the Pacific Island Health Ministers to Climate and Health Conference at Marco Polo Hotel on Wednesday night, Duterte revealed he has fired 19 high-ranking officials because of travels to participate in such conferences abroad.
“So much travel on climate change – in Africa they were there…New Zealand they were there…and they were there en masse…in Tokyo. Every department sends somebody who does not even know the definition of climate change,” he said.
Duterte said he saw the list of some 11 climate change-related travels all over the world “but nothing has been done to my country except expenses”.
“Once and for all we decide…insist one representative from Climate Change Commission, not allow everybody…we need only one mouth. We are not as rich as France. We can afford only to send one and maybe if it is to my liking, join her,” Duterte told participants.
The President admitted it pained him to see them go because most of them were his friends and supported him during the election campaign.
“It pains me deeply to see them go,” he said.
Despite limiting the number of Philippine representatives to climate change conferences or meetings, the President remains committed to supporting all endeavors to make the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world “a much happier place to live in”. (Lilian Mellejor/PNA)
