President Duterte said he is aware that many people in his native Davao City are upset with him due to the lack of "appreciable infrastructure" there despite having the prerogative to build them.
Duterte even said that "one girl"--a reference to presidential daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio--was among those who are angry at him for the same reason.
"Alam ko maraming taga-Davao na may sakit sa akin, may sakit sa kanila sa puso nila (I know a lot of people from Davao have pain in their hearts toward me). I know of one girl na talagang halos galit sa akin kasi bakit ang Davao wala namang napala doon sa...eh sabi ko yan ang (who is almost angry at me because Davao didn't benefit..and I said)--that is the price we have to pay, you know," he said during his pre-recorded "Talk to the People" public briefing on late Tuesday night, Nov. 23.
"If you happen to be in a place where there are some public works going on, you do not want to be criticized as one that's--inuuna mo yung...iyo, yung iba huli na lang (who prioritizes his own bailiwick over other)," Duterte said.
"So ang ginawa ko, ang sabi ko, unahin niyo, pinapahuli ang Davao (So what I did was, I said, prioritize others, Davao will be last)," he said, recalling his remarks during the first meeting that he had with his Cabinet officials.
Although Duterte didn't mention the girl's name, context provided by his speech at the new and improved General Santos City (GSC) Airport on Monday, Nov. 22 clearly indicates that he was alluding to Duterte-Carpio.
"Alam mo, ang anak kong babae may sentimento ‘yan. Alam mo gusto niya ang airport niya --- eh kasi mayor siya eh --- gusto niya ang Davao (You know, my daughter has her sentiments. You know, she wants her airport--becasue she's the mayor--she wants the airport in Davao to be improved)," the Chief Executive said during inauguration rites at GSC Airport, which he was wowed by.
The Bicol International Airport (BIA) is another airport recently opened under the Duterte administration's "Build, Build, Build" initiative, and one that the President is proud of.
"Davao airport now is not as beautiful as the airport in Bicol," he candidly said.
"Ang Davao hanggang ngayon yun pa rin ang airport niya, masakip, lumiliit na (Up to now, Davao is still using its old airport, it's cramped and it's getting smaller). It has become terribly small because of the so many people using it," he noted.
Duterte will end his Palace tenure on June 30, 2021--roughly seven months away. With his administration on its last legs, there is little left in terms of both funding and time for infrastructure projects in Davao.
Based on the President's anecdote, he learned this "them before us" attitude from his late father, former Davao Governor Vicente Duterte.
"Ang atin talaga is huli tayo. So kayong mga taga-Davao, alam ko masakit loob niyo, walang appreciable infrastructure dyan. Ano lang kayo, yung relax lang. Baka ang sunod na presidente, maawa sa atin, bigyan tayo ng bagong airport (We should really be last. So those of you from Davao, I know you're feelings are hurt, there are no appreciable infrastructure there. But just relax. Maybe the next president will pity us and give us a new airport)," he said.
The 76-year-old Duterte vowed that once the next administration takes over, he won't be shy in asking for infrastructure projects for the benefit of Davao.
"Wag masyado ninyo dibdibin kasi that's part of human ano eh--human trait...Naubusan na ng pera, at hindi na nangyari doon sa iyo, hindi na umabot, pasensya. Ganun lang yan. Tutal hindi naman palagi yan eh (Don't feel too nad because that's part of being human--it's a human trait...all the money was used up but nothing happened there, it didn't reach you, but be patient. That's how it is. It won't always be like that)," he said.
Before being elected president in 2016, Duterte served as Davao City mayor for over 20 years.