As the Duterte administration's six-year term neared its end, a Malacañang official expressed confidence that the President's legacy would benefit future generations of Filipinos.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said this during the Duterte Legacy Summit of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) in Pasay City on Monday, May 30.
In his speech, Medialdea told his fellow government workers to take pride in what the administration has done over the past six years as their work will last for many generations.
"Our success as workers in government is not gauged by the number of monuments we have built, nor is it weighed by the amount of funds we have accumulated. Instead, it is measured by the actual lives we changed for the better," he said.
"My fellow workers in government, take to heart that you have all made this change possible. While this may be a closing chapter of a great moment for our nation, I am confident that President Duterte's legacy will not only be talked about in the years ahead but will also be felt by the generations to come," he added.
According to the Palace official, Duterte will leave the presidency with the Philippines in a better condition than in 2016.
"Our administration, just like any, had many ups and downs. But what is certain is that the Duterte administration is leaving behind a far better Philippines that was handed over to us six years ago," he said.
Despite this, Medialdea said that the government should keep its eyes and ears open to continue changing the lives of Filipinos for the better.
"Let us begin a new kind of conversation here in this summit and carry on with our own stories as we do our part in building a brighter Philippines moving forward," he said.
In his speech, Medialdea talked about how the country, under the Duterte administration, was able to bounce back "to a better financial standing" despite the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Despite our limited resources, we have braved the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic and have become a major and more resilient nation through our whole-of-government response," he said.
He likewise touted the administration's achievements such as infrastructure, accessible healthcare, free college education, free irrigation, reforms in government services, and nearly eradicating communist insurgency and extremism.
"To sum it all, 82 percent approval rating in areas of peace and order, economy and right governance direction- the highest in our history for an outgoing president," he said.