President Duterte is expected to deliver an address to the nation on Wednesday, May 26, instead of on Tuesday night, May 25, following a hectic work schedule.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque announced the latest change in the President's schedule, saying they returned home in the wee hours of Tuesday from a visit to Dumaguete City Monday.
This is the second time the President's address has been reset this week. Duterte was originally supposed to deliver his regular "Talk to the People" on Monday but Roque announced that such activity was moved to Tuesday.
Duterte was in Dumaguete City Monday to attend a meeting of the peace and order council of Region 7 (Central Visayas). The meeting, which started Monday afternoon and ended late at night, centered on the President's concerns about the spate of killings in Negros Oriental and his latest directives to address concerns, including those related to land distribution.
"Sagutin ko na lang iyong Talk to The People, na-move po muli. It was initially scheduled for tonight pero mamo-move po siya for tomorrow (The 'Talk to the People' has been moved again. It was initially scheduled for tonight but it was moved for tomorrow)," Roque said Tuesday, May 25.
"I think the reason po is nakauwi na kami from Dumaguete, eh ako ala-una, so medyo puyat po lahat ngayon including iyong mga tao po sa OP (Office of the President) so Wednesday po ang ating Talk to the People (I think the reason is we were able to go home from Dumaguete, I got home at 1 a.m. so everyone, including the staff of OP, lacked sleep so the 'Talk to the People' will instead be held on Wednesday)," he added.
The President usually holds a meeting with top government officials discussing the pandemic response and other matters every Monday. Afterwards, the President's taped public address is aired on state television.
Duterte was joined by former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile in his televised address last week. Enrile backed the President's friendly stance towards China in the territorial dispute and advised him to ignore his critics.