By Genalyn Kabiling
President Duterte declared Tuesday that he was no chauvinist pig despite his fondness for women.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)
The President tried to defend himself from criticisms about his misogynist behavior even after expressing his admiration for the beautiful women gathered during the 81st anniversary of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in Pasay City.
The 73-year-old leader was particularly captivated by a pretty GSIS employee seated near the stage.
"Ang sabi nila ano daw ako , I’m a chauvinist pig pero actually hindi ‘yan totoo, ma’am ," Duterte said in his remarks.
Duterte admitted though that when he once asked in school what he was good at, he replied "girls" and got thrown out of the classroom.
"Isip-isip ko naman ano man ang kasalanan ko? Sinabi ko man lang ang totoo. Gusto ko man talaga ‘yung girls. Sino bang ayaw? ," he said.
At the start of his speech, the President observed the many beautiful women gathered at the GSIS event, and wondered if beauty was part of the criteria for the employees in the agency.
"Hindi ako nagbobola ha. Sa lahat ng opisina ang pinakamaraming maganda ang GSIS ," he said, drawing applause from the crowd.
"I don’t know if you follow a certain criteria in…She must be slim, not more than 115 pounds with a charming (personality)," he said, eliciting more laughter from the audience.
The President also appeared to be smitten with one of the ladies in the crowd, asking her address and other queries in the middle of his speech.
"Saan ka nakatira, ma’am?" Duterte asked the woman wearing a gray GSIS shirt. The crowd erupted in laughter again.
Duterte delivered the rest of his impromptu remarks but paid attention anew to the lady. He joked about having three girlfriends and probably would add more from his GSIS visit.
"May asawa ka na, ma’am?,” Duterte said, drawing more laughter from the audience.
"Wala pa? Wala pa? Gusto mo maglipat ng trabaho? Ah dito ka lang? Ah mahirap dito. Doon sa Pasig, ayan kasi maamoy ang p
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (SIMEON CELI JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)
The President tried to defend himself from criticisms about his misogynist behavior even after expressing his admiration for the beautiful women gathered during the 81st anniversary of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in Pasay City.
The 73-year-old leader was particularly captivated by a pretty GSIS employee seated near the stage.
"Ang sabi nila ano daw ako , I’m a chauvinist pig pero actually hindi ‘yan totoo, ma’am ," Duterte said in his remarks.
Duterte admitted though that when he once asked in school what he was good at, he replied "girls" and got thrown out of the classroom.
"Isip-isip ko naman ano man ang kasalanan ko? Sinabi ko man lang ang totoo. Gusto ko man talaga ‘yung girls. Sino bang ayaw? ," he said.
At the start of his speech, the President observed the many beautiful women gathered at the GSIS event, and wondered if beauty was part of the criteria for the employees in the agency.
"Hindi ako nagbobola ha. Sa lahat ng opisina ang pinakamaraming maganda ang GSIS ," he said, drawing applause from the crowd.
"I don’t know if you follow a certain criteria in…She must be slim, not more than 115 pounds with a charming (personality)," he said, eliciting more laughter from the audience.
The President also appeared to be smitten with one of the ladies in the crowd, asking her address and other queries in the middle of his speech.
"Saan ka nakatira, ma’am?" Duterte asked the woman wearing a gray GSIS shirt. The crowd erupted in laughter again.
Duterte delivered the rest of his impromptu remarks but paid attention anew to the lady. He joked about having three girlfriends and probably would add more from his GSIS visit.
"May asawa ka na, ma’am?,” Duterte said, drawing more laughter from the audience.
"Wala pa? Wala pa? Gusto mo maglipat ng trabaho? Ah dito ka lang? Ah mahirap dito. Doon sa Pasig, ayan kasi maamoy ang p* i** niya,” he added. The lady was seen smiling on television while the President focused his attention on her. Duterte also told the woman that he was already separated from his wife. "Hiwalay ako sa asawa ko, ma’am. Totoo. At saka may isa ako," he said. "May kotse ka?" he said, drawing laughter from the crowd. "Ha? ‘Di, may reserba ka? You have a reserve tire? I’m sure you have a reserve tire somewhere in your car. Eh kung ‘yung kotse walang damdamin ‘yun, puro bakal ‘yan, magkaroon ng reserba, ako pa kaya ‘yung tao?,” he added. The President, aware of the possible flak he would receive for apparently flirting with the woman, quickly said he was just joking. "Before you become highly critical of me, you should talk to me. Ganun lang ako magbiro ma’am ," he said. Duterte then told the GSIS crowd that he used to kiss women in public in exchange of campaign items in the past. "Lahat ma’am. Wala akong pili ni may ngipin o wala. Basta lahat," he said. Towards the end of his speech, the President commented anew about how beautiful the GSIS women were. "No offense intended, you are a beautiful woman," Duterte told the lady as the television cameras zoomed on her face. "All of you magaganda. Kung nasa Korea lang tayo, naubos ko kayo ," he added. The President earlier triggered a political firestorm when he kissed a Filipina on the lips while visiting South Korea. The lady later claimed that there was no malice in the kiss with the President, saying they merely wanted to entertain the Filipino community gathered in Seoul. The President's gesture, however, drew flak from some groups, including women activists who deplored his alleged misogynistic behavior.