Q: Sir, any fresh directives regarding the eruption of Taal? Sir, sa Taal po?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes.
Q: Any fresh directives — new directives regarding possible assistance for the victims? Statement?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: All government resources have been brought there including the human workers. We have anticipated it and pati ‘yung mga Marines ko, mga sundalo ko nandoon sa ano. And the resources I said are there. ‘Yung mga forward supplies, they were, well, carried over there 24 hours since its first explosion.
Q: Sir, I understand. May recommendation na po ba ‘yung NDRRMC regarding suspension of work and classes tomorrow?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes. I — I mean, it’s not because of anything. It’s public health. And we are invoking public health to suspend classes and government workers and hopefully the private sector will follow. Because the ashes, kagaya ko rin, I cannot — kita mo may… Nasaan ‘yon?
Kaming matatanda na we cannot afford to — especially smokers, naninigarilyo kasi and you know, you do not want to clog your lungs which is already not in good condition because of smoking.
Q: So, sir, suspended pa rin po tomorrow?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes. Ako sa gobyerno at least, and for the day after let us see what develops.
Q: Sir lastly, I’d like to get your thoughts on reports na nagkakaroon daw po ng overpricing sa pagbebenta nung face mask, ‘yung N95? Some people are you know, sinasabi taking advantage if the situation. Can we get — any — your comments on that?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I am not surprise. Kasi itong mga negosyante if the demand is high then magkakaroon tayo ng medyo magkulang, then the prices go up. Or the worst thing that they can do if they have enough supplies and yet they are selling it at prohibitive prices already.
So I’m setting the limit. I’d like to talk to the Public Health secretary tomorrow. There are things which I would like to bring to the attention of the Filipino people, especially ‘yung rape ng mga bata.
Wala nang kahinto-hinto. ‘Yang Quezon, there’s somebody there who is a serial rapist. Kahapon meron na namang ni-rape at pinatay. Kaya I’m trying to… I’ll call the regional commander pati ‘yung pulis. Marami na ‘yan. Quezon always in the limelight because children are raped and killed. So I would like to know what steps have been taken to protect the public in that place. At hanapin nila ‘yung kung sino man ‘yan at ‘wag na nilang buhayin.
Q: Sir, you mentioned setting — you want to set the limit. Ano po ‘yon sa presyo po nung mask? Can you clar…?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: The pri — of course the prices.
Q: Okay,
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Mura na man ‘yan, bakit…? Do not hoard it. ‘Pag itinago ninyo then I will be forced to order na pasukin ka.
Q: Mr. President, may balak po kayong bisitahin…? Sir, may balak po ba kayong bumisita sa mga affected towns sa Batangas and nearby areas?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ako magpunta?
Q: Yes, sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, tomorrow. Mag-ikot ako. ‘Pag hindi na ako nakakita ng daan, sa bangin mo na lang ako hanapin.
Q: You’ll be accompanied by — ?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ah if I go helicopter, hindi ako maka-ikot. I want to go around. Almost — I want to visit all the affected areas.
Kaya lang sabi nila — I’ve been warned by my doctor to be careful kasi nga ito dala-dala ko. Hindi man ito maka-control ng ashes. You know I have a — well my dynamics ako dito sa smoking sa — the years of smoking. Apektado ‘yung lungs ko.
Q: Sir, clarification po. Tomorrow government offices including the other two branches wala pong pasok?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Walang klase.
Q: Okay. And then Wednesday, we’ll go by what we see tomorrow?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: We’ll go — we’ll see what develops.
Q: All right, sir. And then…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: And then it’s gonna be a late announcement but let us see what develops.
Q: Sir, ‘yun pong sa private sector for example, wala po ba talagang mechanism by which the government maybe able to…?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, we do not control everybody. So, what we can only do is to tell them and usually the statement or the narrative of the government has always a — parang persuasive effect.
Q: Sir, ‘yung sa N95 mask po you said you are going to talk to the Secretary of Health. Are — is the government planning to give free N95 masks to those who are affected, who are not able to afford it?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes. For those who cannot afford it, we will give it free.
Q: Paano?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, mag-ikot nga ako then I — I will see how the…? ‘Di ibigay ko sa sundalo pati pulis. In times of crisis talaga, all I can — ano — to manage the situation is the military and the police. Nandoon naman sila, so sila.
Kaya sabi ko ‘yung military parang utility boy ng gobyerno ‘yan. Pagka ganun masks, utusan mo ‘yung military, sige. Sila ang papasok doon mamigay ng mask.
Q: For context lang. Si ES po nag-issue ng statement ngayon. Ang Batangas lang ‘yung walang pasok. Resume po tayo ng NCR and Region 3. Which do we follow?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, I… It would greatly depend on the secretary of health. Siya ‘yung magsabi because he is the authority sa mga bagay na ‘yan.
Ako, kung nandiyan pa ‘yung ash, if it is still falling on your head dito, then I suggest that we sacrifice one day of our education rather than gamble with — mga bata eh. Mga bata. That’s sulfur.
Huwag na tayong matatanda. Malapit na tayo. ‘Yang mga bata. I’m worried about the children actually.
Q: Sir, pwede ba kayo sa ash fall?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ako?
Q: Yeah. If you plan to go around tomorrow and you have that ‘di ba — okay lang ba kayo doon?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kainin ko pa ‘yang ash fall na ‘yun. T***… Pati ‘yang Taal na ‘yan ihian ko ‘yan. P***** i**, b***** na ‘yan. Doon ako sa crater mag…
Q: Sir, clarification lang. Reports stated na may bago na raw tayong Customs Chief. Confirmed po ba ‘yun?
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No, no, no, no. Jagger… It was just — we were just shooting the breeze, who are the capable guys to handle. But it doesn’t mean to say that they are the one. Kung sakali lang. But I’m satisfied with General Guerrero and he stays there.
Ah no, there are still some complaints, so I’ll talk to him. Lalo na ‘yung mga tao na sinabi ko na paalisin na niya. Some of them are lingering there.
So sabihin ko kay Jagger, alisin mo na ‘yan kasi ‘yan ‘yung mga tao na who have been there for 25 years, 20 years, puro corruption ang ginawa.
Eh tsaka itong pulis isa rin ‘yan. I removed the power of the PNP to procure equipment kasi ‘yung speed gun in Davao costs us about 10,000. Eh hindi ko nakuha kaagad sa command conference. Pero naman itong mga nakaalam, those who are in the know. Sabi sa akin na… Well siyempre as the briefing was going on, nobody was talking but after that they told me na it’s too — 950 per unit is simply abominable. Kaya…
I may be wrong, I said, but sabi ko kay General Año kahapon, “kunin mo.” Ang — si General Año na ang mag… His office. I will task him to do the procurement and I expect no corruption.
It’s a warning, lahat ng mga opisina. If you will keep on f****** the people’s money, I will remove the procurement powers sa inyo. Ako na.
I will establish a… Kagaya noon panahon ni Marcos. There was this Bureau of Supply. My father was one of the Cabinet members, ‘yung Department of General Services was the one handling procurement. It was placed under my father.
Eh baka maggawa ako ng Bureau of Supply. Doon na ang magbili. Tapos gusto ko ilista lahat. ‘Yung tractor, kung anong gusto mong p***** i**** bilhin, eroplano, ilagay mo ‘yung presyo. ‘Yung international pricing para malaman ko kaagad kung magkano. In public.
Kaya ilagay ko sa ‘yang mga — anong tawag niyan? ‘Yung may ilaw sa gabi. Neon ano? LED. So malaman ng tao kung ano ang binibili ng gobyerno. So that every time they can hurry, passes that place, she would know that there is a procurement and how much is being parlayed, kung magkano.
Q: Sir, are we going to release funds to assist ‘yung mga affected residents nung Taal Volcano? Magdadagdag po ba tayo ng pondo? Maglalabas…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I will give financial assistance, ‘yung… Doon dapat gagamitin ‘yung pera.
Q: Sir, ‘yung D…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Do not waste — corruption, p***** i**.
Q: Sir, ‘yung DA I think they’re going to give 25,000 to the farmers pero loan, utang.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, kung sakali pabayaran mo naman kasi pera ng tao ‘yan. Ngayon kung mabayaran mo utang…
Alam mo naman ang utang dito sa Pilipino wala namang bayaran. Pero kung bayaran nila, okay lang so that in the next disaster I can use the money to help the Filipino.
Q: Meron ho ba tayo sir amount for the additional funds? Wala pa po tayong amount na…
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Meron tayong pera.
Q: Okay.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kung tulong lang, may pera. Kaya hindi natin ubusin sa corruption kasi marami akong problema.
Huwag mong sayangin ‘yang pag-waldas ng pera, hindi ‘yan para inyo. It’s not intended for your pocket. It’s intended to be spent for the public good, period. Okay?
Q: Thank you very much, Mr. President.
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