Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, Feb. 3, reminded the staff and personnel of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) to always be “noble” and serve with a “selfless purpose”.
Addressing the participants in the OVP’s 2023 Planning Conference and Team Building at the Philippine Judicial Academy in Tagaytay City, Cavite, the official reflected on the past seven months since she assumed office and promised to be prepared for what challenges lie ahead.
She said the planning conference is an “opportune time” to evaluate the OVP’s current state and its role in shaping the country’s future.
“Indeed, we will be facing unprecedented challenges, but we must be prepared for them. Our organization must keep pace with the evolving times,” Duterte said.
“Therefore, we must continue to innovate, adapt, and remain relevant. We must continue to exist with a noble and selfless purpose,” she added.
She emphasized the OVP’s duty to serve the country and the people as she lauded the current plans and programs of her office that aim to reach out to those in need.
“Let us remember our duty to serve our country. Let us be bold to take initiatives that challenge the status quo for the benefit of our people. Let us embrace change while remaining steadfast in our commitment to upholding our strategic interests and priorities,” Duterte said.
The Vice President commended the OVP’s satellite offices in Bacolod, Surigao del Sur, Cebu, Davao, Tacloban, Dagupan, and Zamboanga, and hinted at strengthening them more so those in far-flung areas can have immediate access to the OVP’s services.
She shared that coming from Mindanao, she had a first-hand experience of only reading about what the Office of the President and the OVP do in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“‘Yung (The) satellite offices natin ngayon (now) that roll out our projects ay nararamdaman na ng mga tao. Nakakabenepisyo sila at ‘yon ang (can be felt by the people. They benefit from them and that’s the) goal natin sa (in the) Office of the Vice President — na makatulong sa ating mga kababayan (to help our countrymen),” Duterte said.
She also highlighted the OVP’s plan in Building Cultural Diversity and Inclusivity for Belongingness, especially for people in the far-flung areas and in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The Vice President then expressed her gratitude to the OVP staff for coming up with roadmap in serving the Filipino people.
“I would like to thank you all for coming up with this roadmap, this playbook for the OVP. I think after six years at kapag nagawa natin ito nang maayos, ay magiging masaya ang ating mga kababayan sa (and if we do it well, our countrymen will be happy with the) Office of the Vice President,” Duterte said.
“Together, we will fly, soar, fight, and win. And of course, ang lahat ng trabaho natin ay para sa Diyos, sa bayan, at sa pamilyang Pilipino (all our work is for God, for country, and for the Filipino family),” she added.