By Genalyn Kabiling
Refusing to take a leave from work, President Duterte is scheduled to hold a dialogue with farmers in North Cotabato this Friday.
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (Photo from Bong Go / Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Senator Christopher Go said the President intends to listen to the concerns of the farmers during his upcoming provincial trip as part of his continuing work schedule.
"On Friday, we will visit North Cotabato and meet the farmers. In one program, they appealed to the President to listen to them. So the President said, 'Wait for me and I will go there.' So there will be a dialogue with the farmers about their problems,” Go said in Filipino during an interview with reporters in Malacañang.
"They say some tractors are reportedly not being used. So the President will go there to listen to their grievances. The President is all work," he added.
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo earlier announced that President Duterte would go on a three-day break to rest, and that Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea will be designated as officer in charge.
Panelo later took back the statement, clarifying the President has decided to work from home instead. He said when the President is at home in Davao City, he can rest after finishing work unlike in Malacanang where he has "many distractions."
In the media interview Wednesday, Go assured that the President was doing fine in terms of his health condition. "Rest assured that he is okay,” the President’s former aide said.
He admitted though that the President is workaholic public servant, and will have a "very busy" schedule next week.
"He continues to work. Even if you say he will not be here for three days, he might just show up and travel to Jolo or Zamboanga to visit the troops," he said, citing that the President previously had a “Mindanao leg” in his work schedule.
"In fact, the President does not want to rest. Even if you say he was advised by the doctor to rest, he doesn't want to rest. He does not want stay at home for long because he wants to work," he added.