PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE: Let me just give you an overview of the government’s effort vis-à-vis the problem of COVID.

As I have stated time and again repeatedly that the only salvation available to humankind at this time of our life is if you are stricken with a virus, the answer is always vaccine.

A vaccine is a cultured combination of your body and a weak virus maliit instead of in attacking 50 sila you are only given five, 10 maybe. I am not a medical person. Pero it will alert your body system ang iyong defense mechanism immune aatakihin niya ‘yan makilala niya. So ‘pag makilala niya, ang katawan natin mag-produce over time ng anti-viral COVID. Iyon ang ano natin. Ibig sabihin sa ating katawan lang rin manggaling ang answer.

Actually it is of no cost to anybody but for a reason that it is science and it has to be developed, there is a great expense involved.

I would like to thank Russia, President Putin, and China, President Xi Jinping, for offering to provide us with the vaccine as soon as it is possible for distribution to the public. I cannot overemphasize my debt of gratitude. But remember that this is not for free for after all they did not develop the vaccine without great expense and also the human effort involved.

Bibilhin natin ‘yan. Kaya lang kung mahal, if it is quite expensive then I will ask the — my friend President Putin and President Xi Jinping to give us a credit, parang utang, a credit line but we will pay not in one payment but by installments. Basta ang sinasabi ko magbayad tayo. Hindi ito libre.

At I would always tell them that we are willing and if we are short of money by this time because all of the economy of the world, individual countries, have fallen flat. Lahat ngayon nagkakaroon ng economic hemorrhage. It is uncontrollable because people cannot really work. They cannot be productive. And so you have a problem at hand.

Sa Singapore ganun rin. Ang sabi ninyo na pumunta ako. Look, let me be very frank, if I want to go to Singapore, I will go to Singapore. If it is a private undertaking or if I want to attend the burial of a friend or to pay a visit sa wake, I will go there fly-in, fly-out. But alam mo kung gusto kong umalis, aalis ako. I do not have to keep it a secret because I will not be using any government funds. Hindi ko ugali ‘yan. And there has been no trip so far that I have undertaken outside of the Philippines using government funds. If at all I go out, it’s official, and it is just right that — wala naman akong perang pangbayad ng the entourage that goes with me.

Hindi ko itinatago. Bakit ko taguin? Hindi naman ako kagaya ng iba salbahis na maggamit ng pera ninyo. At bakit isikreto ko? I am under no obligation to travel in secret and not telling the Republic at all. I am a citizen of this country. The right to travel is guaranteed. Kung guaranteed sa inyo, eh di guaranteed ‘yan sa akin. And I do not have to hide it. I said I am not stupid to use government funds. Malalaman nang malalaman ng tao ‘yan.

So stop this nonsense about me going to Singapore if at — I said, if at all. Kung gusto ko pumunta, pupunta ako. Wala kayong pakialam kung gusto kong pumunta. At I will not I said under no circumstances I have the obligation to keep it a secret. What for? Pwera na lang siguro kung magtanan ako. Pero ilang anak ko ang hahabol sa akin? Inday would lead the pack at hahantingin ako niyan kung magtanan ako. Pero wala naman. Ayaw naman sa akin lahat. Eh di wala na.

Pero in the future, ‘yung mga haka-haka noon pa ‘yan bago pa ako mag-Presidente, I enjoy what you citizens of this Republic enjoy. We have the right to travel. With more reason ako kay matagal na akong walang bakasyon. If I went somewhere else, well — or if I choose to go to Europe, pupunta ako sabihin ko… Then I would have to go on a leave of absence or maintain the control of government by electronic. Usually you leave the helm ika nga to the deputy or to the vice, deputy prime minister or vice president.

But I am not inclined to do that. Pero kung gusto ko, aalis ako. Let me repeat it: I have no obligation to keep it a secret. For what? But the only thing maybe is if I use your public money. I will never do that. Hindi ako estupido. Sana naman maunawaan ninyo abugado ako. That is anti-graft, pure and simple.

Makikita naman ‘yan sa mga voucher kung gagamitin mo ang pera ng gobyerno. But if it is a private undertaking I said, a private trip, you can go ahead. Just leave somebody to take care — it’s either usually Bingbong or si Guevarra. Of if not, if things are not quite good, then I’ll leave it in the hands of the military. Probably it would be the Secretary of Defense kung medyo topsy-turvy ang bayan and I have to leave.

But otherwise, ang isang leader would always stay where the crisis is. Hindi ka dapat maglagalag kung may problema ang bayan. Napakababa naman ang tingin ninyo sa akin kung ganun. Well, be that as it may, hindi po ako ganun just to disabuse your mind. Thank you for listening.

We go now into… I… I think the first things that we should do is to call on — because you have been the spokesman all along and making the announcement.

PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESPERSON HARRY ROQUE: Yes, sir.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: I’m referring to Secretary Roque. Anong classification? And what are the things that are allowed in a modified and what are the things that are allowed iyong wala na? Iyong talagang all the rest of the Philippines. Ang gustong malaman ng tao anong category na tayo at ano ang magawa namin at ano ang hindi namin magawa? I’d like to ask Secretary Roque to…

SEC. ROQUE: Magandang umaga, Mayor. Ah magandang gabi pala po, Mayor, at magandang gabi, Pilipinas ‘no. Ang naging rekomendasyon po ng inyong IATF, naanunsyo ko na po ‘yung mga classification ng mga iba’t-ibang lugar sa Pilipinas maliban po sa NCR, sa Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna at Rizal.

Itong mga areas pong ito ay nasa modified ECQ. Ang rekomendasyon po ay ilagay na ang NCR, Bulacan, Cavite,

Laguna, Rizal sa GCQ or general community quarantine.

Ito po ay mas maluwag, mas marami pong industriyang bukas, pupuwede po ang dine-in sa mga restaurants, pupuwede po na magkaroon ng religious services pero hanggang 30 percent lang po.

Halos lahat po ng industriya ay magbubukas bukod na lang po doon sa maraming nagtitipon-tipon, ‘yung mga entertainment, at ‘yung mga amusement para po sa bata ‘no. Pero itong desisyon po ay mayroon pong mga kondisyon din na isinama ang inyong IATF lalong-lalo na po sa Metro Manila ‘no.

At ito nga po ay kinakailangan buksan po natin ang ekonomiya sabay po ‘yung tinatawag nating refresh — iyong ire-refresh po natin ‘yung mga responses natin sa COVID. Kasama na nga po diyan ‘yung mas maigting na testing at nagsisimula na po ‘yung pilot natin para sa pooled testing kung saan mai-expand po natin o mas marami po puwedeng ma-test sa isang test kit.

Magkakaroon po tayo ng ‘yung house-to-house na paghahanap po sa mga symptomatics na nagkaroon po tayo ng pilot nung dalawang linggo po na tayo po ay naka-MECQ. Ang tawag po natin ‘yung Project Code. Itutuloy pa rin po natin ‘yan.

I-i-swab po natin ‘yung mga mayroong sintomas at ihihiwalay po natin ‘yung mga positibo. Gagamitin po natin ‘yung mas malawakang tracing na itinuro sa atin ni Mayor Magalong, 1:15 po ang magiging tracing natin. At siyempre po gumagawa po tayo ng mas marami pang mga facilities para mas marami po ‘yung mga hospital natin at kakayahan na gamutin ang magkakasakit ng COVID.

Ikinagagalak ko pong sabihin sa inyo, Mayor, na ngayon po nag-inaugurate tayo ng 250 exclusive COVID beds diyan po sa East Avenue Medical Center ‘no. At dahil po rito naibsan po ‘yung tinatawag nating critical care capacity ‘no dahil mas marami na po tayong kama ngayon.

At ‘yung sinimulan po ni Usec. Bong Vega na One Hospital Command Center ay gumagana na rin po kung saan nagkakaroon tayo ng referral kung saan pupuwede po pumunta ang ating mga kababayan.

So pinagsamantalahan po natin, ginamit po natin ‘yung dalawang linggo na MECQ para po pag-isipan kung paano tayo magre-reboot, kung paano magre-refresh ng approach at ito nga po ang gagawin natin habang nagbubukas tayo ng ekonomiya mas maigting na mga pamamaraan para mapalakas po ang testing, tracing, isolation, and treatment.

At siyempre po ang palaging pagpapaalala sa lahat: kinakailangan magsuot ng maskara, kinakailangan po mag-social distancing, kinakailangan po ang paghuhugas ng kamay at face shields kung papasok po sa trabaho at sasakay sa pampublikong mga sasakyan.

Maraming salamat, Mr. Mayor.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: So napalawak. Ulitin ko lang ha. Baka hindi… Ang general community quarantine:

• NCR;
• Bulacan;
• Cavite;
• Laguna;
• Rizal;
• Nueva Ecija;
• Batangas;
• Quezon;
• Iloilo City;
• Cebu City;
• Lapu Lapu City;
• Mandaue City;
• Talisay City; and the Municipalities of Minglanilla; Consolacion.

Ang — for the rest of the Philippines, modified general community quarantine.

So you just, I said, just be careful. Follow the safeguards. Itong nakalimutan ko. We want to ensure the safety of our people you know. However, some sectors in our economy, especially the MSMEs, are barely surviving. Iyong maliliit na negosyo lang, katamtaman.

So katamtaman, ibig sabihin, I don’t know if it’s the right word, na pabalik lang sa negosyo may kaunting pera, barely surviving, ika nga. Parang kakalabas lang sa tubig hanggang ilong.

Let me clarify, ang RT-PCR. Repeat, RT. T. RT-PCR, or antibody-based tests is not recommended or required for asymptomatic employees returning to work. Hindi kailangan. However, mayroong ano nito caveat, may warning — however, the following priority workers in the sectors may undergo — may undergo. Pero akin ay ano na lang. Ang hospital pati sa tourism sectors, isa ‘yan. Manufacturing companies and public service providers in economic zones located within Special Concern Areas and those of highest COVID-19 cases.

Dalawa ito, hindi nila hinati. Ang una, ‘yung service providers ng mga special kagaya ng Clark, Subic, and special place where the workers are exposed to COVID-19 na they are required because also of the product. The integrity of the product is assured that it is COVID-free or at least sanitized, nalinis, nahugasan.

Pangatlo is the frontline and economic priority worker. Workers in high-priority sectors in public and private. Hindi ko maintindihan itong high-priority kung sino. Tayo? O… Ako, unahin muna natin ‘yung tao.

Mawala tayo, nandiyan pa ang Pilipinas. Pero mawala ang tao, wala na ang Pilipinas. So unahin natin ‘yung tao. Have high interaction with exposure in public. Ito ‘yung ano — those who live or work in Special Concern Areas.

It could be a private or public establishment or area. But the employers, ‘yung mga amo, are highly encouraged to send their employees for testing at no cost to the employees.

Now, before I end, kayong mga Pilipino everyday, everyday you see drug cases either busted, arrested, killed, at running into millions ang amount. Makita ninyo sa inyong television.

Napakatorpe naman nitong human rights ‘pag hindi kayo nag-ano. Ano ang ano ninyo? Magbilang lang ng patay? Eh p***** i**, ‘di maglipat kayo ng trabaho, huwag sa human rights. Punerarya kung ‘yan lang man ang trabaho ninyo.

What about the social problem?

The serious and grave problems of drug addiction in this country. What are you doing about it? At least mayroon kayong — you know, your advocacy. It does not begin and end in the life of a criminal. Naloko ba kayo? It should be something like you would also do a campaign all around the Philippines warning the citizens about being killed, about being slaughtered if they do drugs. Iyan ang tama magawa ninyo.

Then if they are killed despite or in spite of your educating them, then you can always investigate and file cases. Pero itong mga durugista — and most of them are really not from the Philippines — I cannot say — hindi ko ma-pinpoint. Sometimes it comes from China, Malaysia. Sometimes dito ginawa, minsan sa…

Basta ang akin, a shabu is a shabu is a shabu. I do not… Hindi ako nag-ano kung saan galing. It’s a crime in Malaysia, lalo na sa China it’s a death penalty. Malaysia it’s a death penalty. Indonesia metes out a death penalty. Tayo lang ang Pilipinas maarte. Kung ano lang talaga…

Come to think of it, if it’s really effective, if prayers do, if the shouting inside the church, the pulpit, everywhere, kung nakakatulong, bakit po hanggang ngayon nagbabaha ng droga? At ano ang gawain natin doon sa namatay? Iyong mga bata na tinusok ng kahoy galing puwet hanggang bunganga? Iyan ang ano. Mas gusto ninyo ‘yan kaysa itong mga animal na ito?

Now ang sabi mo pinapatay ko? Sinabi ko, “If you destroy my country, I will kill you.” I never said, “If you destroy my country, I will order the military or the police to kill you.” You must be you know — don’t impose a lie.

Sabi ko I will kill you if you destroy my country and I will really do it. Malas mo lang kung ma-timingan. Kung nandiyan ako, sabihin ko sa mga pulis, “Umalis kayo diyan. Hayaan mo ako dito sa p***** i**** ‘to.” I will — I will… I will do it. Have I done it? How many times? Ah secret. Bakit ko sabihin sa inyo ‘yan?

So I’m just warning that drug really destroys the spirit of a nation kasi ang biktima ninyo gunggong na eh. Wala na talagang pag-asa, of no use to society anymore. And you destroy the dreams of parents na makita nila anak nila nakatapos, that someday mag-asawa, mag-anak, that they can see their grandchildren. You destroy that dream.

So ako, I mean to keep that dream true. Kaya kayong ano, bantay kayo. Mamili kayo: China Sea? Manila Bay? Tapos atake nang atake na ang sabi ko raw ano… “Duterte…” Nagsasabi pa akong Manila Bay at China Sea. P***** i** ninyo kay anong ginawa ninyo? Anong ginawa ninyo para sa bayan ninyo? Protecting criminals? Paying homage to the Caucasians of Europe? Itong mga puti na ito? Bakit magkano ba ang dollar na tinatanggap ninyo? Huwag niyo sabihin mas Pilipino pa kayo ngayon. And you enjoy prosecuting people who are doing their jobs? Ako ang takutin ninyo. F*** you.

Gawain ko ang gusto ko para sa bayan ko. That’s it. Walang — kung walang ano, kung ganon, walang istorya. Umiwas ka sa droga, magtanim ka sa bukid. Diyan sa palengke maraming negosyo diyan. Huwag kang magpabili ng droga. May pera diyan, malaking pera diyan, pero ‘pag magkamali ka, buhay mo talaga ang iiwan mo.

So I have said my piece for the night. I am thanking all our guests, Secretary Lorenzana, Galvez, Secretary Duque, Secretary Roque, Secretary Wendel, Senator Bong. Ito ‘yung naghihintay ng issue and he will be the one to do the… Alam niya may trabaho siya sa Senate. He can always use the forum sa Senate to expose wrongdoings and expose criminality.

Maraming salamat po. [applause]

— END —

SOURCE: PCOO-PND (Presidential News Desk)