Duterte tells people: 'If you want truth, listen to us'
As his presidential term winds down, President Duterte is committed to tell the truth about the country's situation.
The President said he and the rest of government workers have been paid to serve the nation and speak the truth while he slammed the opposition for their supposed lies and arrogance.
"Kaya sabi ko kung gusto ninyo ang totoo, makinig lang kayo dito sa amin (If you want the truth, listen to us)," Duterte said at the start of his public address Monday, June 28.
"Ngayon, kung gusto ninyo na makinig ng mga bola at (Now, if you want to listen to lies), you know, self-aggrandizement, advertisement of their talent and all, you listen to the opposition. Maaaliw kayo sigurado ako (You will be entertained, I'm sure) pero dito ang usapan natin ang totoo lang at bayad kami para magsabi ng totoo. Iyon ang trabaho namin (but in our discussion here, we only speak the truth. We are paid to say the truth. That's our job)," he added.
The President made the remarks after the government scaled up efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on lives and livelihood as well as boost vaccination drive. The government has been at the receiving end of criticisms over alleged slow pandemic response and inoculation campaign.
In his remarks, the President explained he was addressing the nation "to report on the true situation of the Philippines in all aspects, be it economy, health, public order, public safety."
Duterte holds a weekly public address on the pandemic response and other issues since the pandemic started last year. Some Cabinet members usually join the meeting and present reports to the President.
"Remember that kayo ang nagbabayad sa aming suweldo. Ang bayaran ninyo ganito, bayad kayo then we promised to work for you, at wala sa aming trabaho na magsinungaling. What you hear from the mouths of the speakers are really the truth of what’s the state of the Philippines today," he said.
In the meeting, the President talked about the threat posed by the Delta coronavirus variant and how health protocols must strictly be enforced to prevent its spread. He also took aim at Senator Manny Pacquiao, threatening to campaign against him in the 2022 elections if he could not prove his corruption claims in government.