Vice President Sara Duterte said the government must listen to the growing calls of citizens against corruption, warning that ignoring their voices could further fuel unrest.

Duterte said this amid mounting preparations for nationwide demonstrations set on Sept. 21, coinciding with the anniversary of the declaration of martial law.

Speaking to reporters in Tacurong City on Thursday, Sept. 18, Duterte said she hopes the upcoming protests will serve as a wake-up call for the administration to address people’s demands.

“Kung makakatulong pa ba ito para makinig ang gobyerno? Sana, ‘yan ang dasal natin lahat, ‘di ba? Dahil ayaw natin ng kaguluhan (Will this help so that the government listens? I hope so, that is all our prayer, right? Because we don’t want disorder),” she said.

Duterte stressed that when politicians speak out, their remarks are often dismissed as politics, but when ordinary citizens take to the streets, the message becomes harder to ignore.

“Siguro ito na talaga yung paraan para marinig nila. Dahil malamang siguro pag isang boses lang tulad ko, sasabihin lang nila, politika lang ‘yan. Pero ‘pag ang mamamayan na ang nagsabi… sana makinig sila (Maybe this is really the way for them to listen. Because if it’s only one voice like mine, they will just say it’s politics. But if it’s the people themselves… I hope they listen),” she added.

The Vice President said she does not welcome public disruption but acknowledged that demonstrations may now be the only option for people to express frustration with government inaction.

“Tsaka ayaw natin ‘yung mga tao pumupunta sa lansangan dahil naaabala sila at naaabala ‘yung mga hindi sumasali. Pero siguro ito na talaga ‘yung paraan para marinig nila (We don’t want people going to the streets because it disrupts them and others who are not joining. But maybe this is really the only way for them to be heard),” she noted.

Duterte also raised doubts about the administration’s capacity to act on the people’s demands, tying her criticism once more to her call for President Marcos to take a public hair follicle drug test.

“Ang tanong na lang d’yan, alam ba nila kung ano yung dapat nilang gawin? Babalik na naman tayo doon sa kapasidad nung kanilang pag-iisip. Babalik na naman tayo doon sa sagutin niyo muna ‘yung public hair follicle drug test (The question now is, do they even know what needs to be done? We go back again to their mental capacity. We go back to him first answering the public hair follicle drug test),” she said.

She said this test would help prove whether the President is of sound mind in addressing corruption and governance issues.

“Pag hindi pa maayos yung sagot d’yan, meron na talagang dapat siyang gawin. Sagutin niya ‘yung drug allegations sa kanya (If the answer to that is still unsatisfactory, then something really must be done. He should address the drug allegations against him),” she added.