President Duterte was in a reflective mood Thursday, Dec. 2 as he tried to discourage local politicans in Zamboanga City from coveting the presidency.
With the way he described it, Duterte found his time in Malacañang the past five years as very restrictive.
"You know, if any politician here is aiming for the presidency, I'm telling you, wag. Ang sisi mo na hanggang langit (You will regret it to the high heavens)," he said during his speech at the joint meeting of the National Task Force – Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-RTF ELCAC) in Region IX at the Garden Orchid Hotel.
"Presidente ka, wala kang makuha except sweldo mo, two hundred . Ako naman, wala akong...sweldo lang talaga ako. Yan ang presidency (You're the President, but you don't earn anything aside from your salary, P200,000. As for me, I don't have any...just my salary. That is the presidency)," he told his audience.
Duterte, who was once a local government official, took over the helm in Malacañang on June 30, 2016. Now 76, he was the oldest person to be elected as Philippine president.
Duterte also made a "loving" reference to the Presidential Security Group (PSG), which provides for his close-in security.
"Guwardiyado ka pa, hindi ka magalaw. Tapos sasabihin mo, punta ka roon. Sasabihin na, 'Wag yan sir, delikado dyan (You're also being closely guarded, you can't move. You say you want to go there. But they will say 'Not there sir, it's dangerous)'," he said.
"O may gusto akong bisitahan na girl...sabihin din nila na, 'Wag yan kasi hindi pa nalinis (Or if I want to visit a girl...they will say, 'Not that one because it hasn't been cleaned)," added the Chief Executive.
The Garden Orchid Hotel was Duterte's second speaking engagement in Zamboanga City Thursday. He earlier attended an inauguration at Port of Busay, wherein he was also in the mood to reflect on his Palace tenure.
During his speech at the port, the former longtime Davao City mayor looked back on his campaign promises and claimed that he fulfilled nearly all of them. He said this has left him a bit of pride.
Duterte will end his term as president on June 30, 2022. He is vying for a Senate seat in next year's polls.