In rambling thoughts, the President, rumored to be ailing, vows to go after the corrupt at PhilHealth, reviews the performance of cabinet departments with access to huge amounts of money, warns Vice President Leni Robredo not to add fuel to the fire by criticizing government during this crisis, says if he dies tomorrow it won’t solve the problems of the country, reveals his doctor has warned him not to drink because he nears Stage One cancer, and asks the people to please wait for the COVID-19 vaccine.
(Excerpts from President Duterte’s taped address to the people and reports by cabinet members, aired Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020, on national television, from Davao)
By PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
There is no magic wand or if you want a stronger statement a — the magic bullet, a silver bullet, that will solve our problems.
Huwag kayong mag-alala. Lahat ng pera diyan nagastos dito sa away ng COVID ay maa-account. I will hold myself responsible for this sole and solemn duty of answering for and in behalf of the Executive department of all the funds that were spent in the fight against COVID.
Huwag kayong mag-alala kasi ‘yung may kulang o nagkulang kukunin natin balik sa kanila o hindi I assure you I will be the one to endorse the case to the prosecuting office. Ako ang magpirma mismo.
If we are through with the investigation, allow the Secretary of Justice to complete his investigation and his signature on the endorsement will be accompanied by my signature and that will ensure na ang mga pera ma — makita ninyo paano ginastos.
I am asking the National Task Force for COVID-19 to properly report on how all the funds were spent and their intended purpose.
Will go after the corrupt at PhilHealth
Mga kababayan ko do not mix up everything. Itong eskandalo lalo na itong mga pera para sa kabutihan ng katawan ng tao, dalawa ang lumalabas sa limelight ngayon. Iyong PhilHealth ang dapat imbestigahan at dapat i-prosecute lahat at dapat ikulong. Kung iyan na lang ang trabaho ko sa maiwan ko sa tat — dalawang taon, iyan na rin ang gagawain ko.
One of the few things that I can do in the remaining two years of my term, uubusin ko ito ‘yung panahon ko to work on the cases for people who are involved in the PhilHealth.
Itong pinag-uusapan dito ho eh hindi ito PhilHealth. Pera ito sa COVID ‘yung ibinigay at hindi ito puwedeng masabi na blank check, blank check because that is not allowed. And I’m sure ‘yung mga tao na iniwanan ko sa pera, lalo na kay Secretary Lorenzana, then si Rolly and a lot of the guys there, they are military men na nakilala ko noon pa matagal ng panahon, 10 years ago — or Lorenzana about 20 years ago — alam ko, Rolly, they are an honest — a bunch of an honest person.
I will account for every money
Huwag kayong mag-alala, ikukuwenta namin ‘yung pera lahat. Iba ‘yung PhilHealth. Iba ‘yung sinabi huwag kayong — sabihin na prepare na parang cheke. That’s a reckless statement. Kasi gumagastos pa tayo, hindi pa tayo tapos. Allow us time to do our thing, spend the money and there will always be a time for reckoning and that will be the time when we account for the money that we have used in the fight against COVID.
Huwag ho kayong ma-ano diyan sa PhilHealth pati ‘yung itong sa Bayanihan 1 and 2. And even then itong sa pera sa Bayanihan I will still impose stricter measures. I will ask the finance guys in the — na dagdagan kasali na diyan sila ‘yung Task Force mismo at ‘yung iniwanan ko ng pera General Lorenzana, General Galvez, General Bautista at ang buong IATF kasali na ako doon. Kaya nandiyan ‘yung garantiya. That is my guarantee to you.
And including — I forgot to mention — he is always seldom mentioned si Bebot Bello ng Labor. Kasi Bot ‘yung sinubmit mo binabasa ko pa, sandali lang. Kasi may nag-object tapos sabi ko just give me time to review the objection and I can safely say that… Huwag mo lang masyadong magmadali kasi busy talaga ako.
Pero itong — Bot, itong nagnakaw ng pera ng bayan lalo na ‘yung sa COVID, they will go to prison. I am sure. ‘Pag wala akong nakita na magpakulong, magdampot ako ng tatlo sa kanila kulungin ko. Pilitin kong kulungin para may makulong lang talaga sa p***** i**** ginawa nila dito sa pera ng tao.
Sa pagka ngayon sa lahat not only — not only the COVID mechanism, iyong PhilHealth, lahat DPWH, Agriculture, DND, ipa-publish ‘yung mga — so they must prepare well in advance because I would require them to publish in the newspaper, sa tatlong newspapers of general circulation — mamili na kayo kung anong newspaper ang gusto ninyo — ipa-publish ko ito ang mga bibilhin at pagkatapos ipa-publish ko pagkatapos sa notice sino ‘yung bidders, ‘yung pangalan nila. I want them na kung saan sila nakatira.
Customs again
In the same manner diyan sa Customs ngayon, ‘yung mga consignee, ‘yung mga consignment na sa mga pangalan lang. Hindi na puwede ‘yan ngayon.
Somebody must stand for them or if need be their lawyer, their lawyer together with their clients. Kasi lahat ng mga ibinibigay ninyo na mga address ‘pag puntahan ng mga tao ng Customs wala, kawawa, alam nila o hindi nila alam.
Let us help Jagger. Sabi nila si Jagger daw ay corrupt. Well, that is just a statement. We will know, I said, when the time of reckoning comes and that is — that we will make everybody account for the money of government.
Itong sa — sa Cabinet, another publication sa disbursement nila kung ilan ang ginastos nila ngayong buwan na ito o gusto mo every 15 days para mas maganda. Every 15 days you would know how much a department has disbursed money of the people.
I am particularly [concerned with] DPWH. DND, sa awa ng Diyos, okay naman. DSWD under General Bautista, okay rin. DPWH, DOLE medyo may — kaya nga may mga objections eh. I’m reviewing the objections and — but I will allow the rule to apply on them, ‘yung mag-report sila ng respective agency disbursement. Ilagay nila magkano ang ginastos and for what.
At the end of the month maybe or after — hindi, buwanan mas maganda. Makita na nila kung ‘yung pinuntahan ng pera pumunta ba talaga at nagastos at sino.
Disappointed with PhilHealth
That is in view of the ‘yung sama ng loob ng tao itong sa PhilHealth na ito. Lalo na itong PhilHealth, maski paperclip i-publish ninyo at sino ‘yung bidder na mag-supply ng paperclip, maski isa. Isabi mo diyan sa newspaper para mabasa. So I hope that I have made myself clear on this. More measures will come.
Pero — pero alam mo, marami ngayon may naglalabas — revolutionary government. Tapos ako ang sinasabi na… Wala akong pakialam niyan, wala akong kilala na mga tao na ‘yan at hindi ko ‘yan trabaho.
At ito namang kay Leni, that in her ending statement said that kung hindi ko daw gawain, ng gobyerno, gagawain ng tao. Well, sa panahon itong pandemic medyo desperado ang mga tao tapos dagdagan ninyo ng mga ganoon na wala naman kayong base, sana may ipakita kayo.
To Leni: Do not add fuel to the fire
Please do not add fuel to the fire. You will just destroy government. Huwag ninyong — huwag ninyong sirain ang gobyerno kasi masisira ang tao. ‘Pag nasisira ang gobyerno, lulutang tayo lahat. Maski na sabihin pa ninyo mamatay ako bukas, it cannot — it cannot solve the problem of the country.
Kanina sabi ko na ano, ang pinakamabigat na problema ngayon sa gobyerno kasi walang pera. Wala lahat, bangkarota. Walang ekonomiya tumakbo ng ilang buwan, wala namang mga nagta-trabaho nagbabayad ng buwis sa kanya.
So I said that he is in a bind. He has a — the gravest problem dito sa mesa na ito. Pero he retorted that “hindi, ikaw ang may problema, sunod lang ako.” Sa totoo lang, totoo talaga ‘yan.
Alam mo, we have to — sabi nga nila, we have to spend, lalo na sa COVID, we have to spend but we must have to spend wisely and correctly. Kaya naiwan, kasi kung wala ng pera talaga bangkarota na, wala naman tayong kumita. Kung may magpahiram, kung walang magpahiram, maraming mamamatay. Hindi tayo makabili ng medisina.
Kaya kung may pera, Bayanihan, whether it’s part of one or two, I will make sure as long as I have these guys here with me in the team, ‘yung Task Force, ‘yung pera ninyo I have no doubt that they will not allow corruption.
Matagal na kami sa gobyerno, magpa-retire na lang, bakit pa namin pagsayangan? Kakaunting panahon na lang ang naiwan so wala nang ganang kumain. May pera ka naman, hindi ka na makakain. Sabi ng doktor huwag kang kumain ng taba kasi mamatay ka.
Stage One for cancer
Ikaw Duterte, huwag ka nang uminom kasi ‘yang Barrett mo nearing stage one ka sa cancer. So hindi na rin. Si Bebot ‘yung paa ewan ko kung puputulin ‘yan o hindi. Puro na may sakit so what do we get if we…? T*** i***** ‘yan. Wala na.
Ang amin, ang iwan na lang ang trabaho. Kasi pagharap namin sa Diyos and tanungin ka na, “O ikaw Rodrigo, anong ginawa mo?” Sabi ko, “Ginawa ko man lahat. Ito man si Dominguez ang walang pera.” Totoo. Eh saan ‘yang pera? Eh naubos na niya, inutang na niya lahat eh, wala nang magpautang. Si Lorenzana, ah wala ‘yan. Kung bala pati armas may maibigay ‘yan pero medisina kailangan pera, cold cash talaga ‘yan.
Now, really, if there’s money, I can assure you, Congress is free to participate or create oversight of committees — committees of all sorts. Anong committee maisip ninyo sa COVID one or two, wala namang — pati COVID two, kung mayroon pa, ilagay ninyo, oversight, undersight, sidesight, gawain ninyo at kung gusto ninyo to report ‘yung mga tao weekly diyan para may trabaho tayong lahat. They can report to Congress week — weekly or — at your choosing. Walang problema ‘yan. I’m ready to order that. It is not a matter of separation of powers. Iyan ‘yung parang expanded oversight lang na gusto lang man… It is never illegal to know where your money is going.
Congress asked to put in place safeguards
Kaya I urge Congress, ilagay na ninyo ang lahat ng safety measures para walang palpak. Kung gusto ninyo ‘yon na, ‘yung sabi ko itong sa newspaper pati ‘yung sa disbursement.
Kapag hindi pa ninyo — hindi pa kayo kuntento, tawagin ninyo at ipa-explain ninyo kung ano ‘yang disbursement na ‘yan. Kung saan pupunta at anong benefit na makuha ng tao. I am urging Congress, as a matter of fact, I am demanding Congress to join us in putting up measures to ensure that the money is spent to its purpose. I am willing to give way at saka kung gusto ninyo ng accounting for every transaction, puwede rin.
It might really cost a lot of time for the bureaucracy but if you want every transaction to be audited right away for you to peruse and understand, we can do that. I repeat, we must participate everything that will prevent corruption.
Okay, Sonny, can you make us the report now? I think you have the money now? You seem to be smiling. Or no money still?
At this point, Secretary Dominguez is asked to speak on the Small Business Wage Subsidy Program:
DOF SECRETARY CARLOS DOMINGUEZ III:
Frowning will not do any good, so you might as well smile.
Thank you, Mr. President. This is a — a brief update on the small wage subsidy program under the Bayanihan Law that we implemented ho. So just to give you a quick update on it. It’s up there.
We wish to inform the President and my colleagues in the Cabinet on the latest update on the Small Business Wage Subsidy program and the factors that have made this program largely efficient and effective.
Based on the factors and the adoption of the following principles for future subsidy programs. Number one ho, we think all subsidy programs in the future should be digitized. In other words, do through — through digitalization of all transactions.
And number two, the direct distribution of aid should be through banks or e-wallets — e-wallet accounts of the intended beneficiaries. And one of the most important factors that made this a relatively successful program is close administration oversight of the critical steps of the program.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Son, paki… Sorry, but can you say it in a vernacular again?
SEC. DOMINGUEZ: Okay. Okay. Ito po mahirap ho po gumawa ng kalokohan dito kung by computer. Talagang walang ano eh — walang cash na hina-handle, nobody can keep the cash so the intended beneficiaries ho, iyong mga employees ng small companies ay tumanggap ng subsidy.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ang… Can I — can I be allowed to…?
SEC. DOMINGUEZ: Sure, please.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ang maganda kasi dito is sa — iyong wala ng transaction na may tao-tao, puro makina na lang at diretso na sa… Ang pinakaimportante dito is ‘yung paglagay sa — paghulog sa bangko ng gobyerno diretso ito sa empleyado.
There is no intermediary and there is no intervention of any kind lalo na tao, diretso sa inyo. Now, ang sabi ni Sonny kung may pagkakamali man, sa inyo na ‘yan sa data or data — if you want to pronounce it that way — na kayo ang nagkamali o baka nga minsan ang — well, of course ang — ang nagbibigay ng pera, whatever agency that is, but it will lessen corruption.
Ang isa pang bago na dinaanan ni Sonny na ibinigay na, iyong lahat ng departamento ngayon aside from really ‘yung mga transaction nila is how much ‘yung na-disburse nila.
Ilang — what is the amount of — how much money has been disbursed so far?
SEC. DOMINGUEZ: Iyon galing ho sa ano, through — ang pera galing sa gobyerno pero ginamit namin ‘yung sistema ng SSS.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Okay, klaro.
SEC. DOMINGUEZ: SSS itself did not pay. It’s the money of the national government.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Okay. It’s good.
Three lessons in fund management
SEC. DOMINGUEZ: So ang three lessons ho dito, number one is management. You set the timeline and you set the milestone. Kung ano ma-achieve at this particular point. Number two, officials ng SSS, BIR, at saka DBP, at saka DOF, sometimes they met two to three times a day para lang ma — masigurado na okay ‘yung system, gumagana ‘yung sistema.
And finally, kung kailangan, you bring in the experts from the private sector. Hindi natin — government does not know everything, so we brought in people from the private sector here, from Microsoft, tinulungan din po kami ng Union Bank.
By the way Union Bank share — malaking shareholder ho sa Union Bank ang SSS. So they also helped us. So if you have a problem, bring in the private sector to help you and you can solve it very quickly. But importante ho ‘yung management na everyday you are on top of the situation.
Do not let any problem go big kasi ‘pag malaki na mahirap nang ano – mahirap nang i-correct. So finally again ho, that’s why ho we took lessons here at pinasok ho namin sa Bayanihan 2 law na as much as possible lahat ng tulong sa tao give it through the banks, through Lhuillier, so no cash is handled as little as cash as possible.
So walang mangungupit, walang nawawala, ganun. So again, we learned a lot of lessons here but ang pinakaimportante ang management ng system.
DOJ SECRETARY MENARDO GUEVARRA:
Maybe it’s a good time to make a short report to you on what the Task Force PhilHealth has done so far since the day that you directed the Department of Justice to create a task force so that these big problems at PhilHealth may be addressed immediately.
All the component agencies of the Task Force including the independent constitutional bodies which we invited to help out in the task of the Task Force have all been cooperating and supporting the Task Force in the discharge of its functions.
They all understand the magnitude of the problem, Mr. President, and they also understand the need to effect immediate solutions to these problems. So, Mr. President, the strategy of the Task Force is as follows:
Number one, we requested the component agencies of the Task Force to expedite their ongoing investigations or special audits, or resolve cases that are already pending with them involving officials of PhilHealth.
As a result of that request, the Office of the Ombudsman has already preventively suspended 13 key officials of PhilHealth for cases that have been filed with the Office of the Ombudsman even before the creation of the Task Force, Mr. President.
In addition, the Task Force itself has been conducting hearings as a group and we have invited resource persons and witnesses but we have zeroed in on certain particular centers of fraud in the hearings of the Senate and the House of Representatives and also in other fact- finding or investigating reports.
We are focusing, Mr. President, more particularly on these centers of fraud. Number one is the IT system of PhilHealth as described earlier by Sec. Dominguez.
PhilHealth system fractured
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sonny, I said this is… As you have said, it’s the system that’s fractured.
SEC. DOMINGUEZ: A good system is good information. If you don’t have a good information system, it’s not going to work. Okay.
SECRETARY MENARDO GUEVARRA: Right now, Mr. President, the impression is that the information technology system of PhilHealth is fragmented.
And it’s so easily — it can easily be manipulated because there is no centralized control over the management information system.
Number two, Mr. President, in our areas of focus, is the legal sector. This seems to be one of the biggest sources of well, allegedly fraudulent activities. We’re still conducting our investigation, Mr. President.
But so far, in the fact-finding and investigation reports that we have received so far including those from the Senate and the House of Representatives, it seems that the legal sector is a very ripe source of irregularities.
Number three, Mr. President, is what is known as the interim reimbursement mechanism or IRM. We are focusing on that particular scheme. And this afternoon, the Task Force held its meeting which zeroed in on the interim reimbursement mechanism device.
And lastly also, Mr. President, on financial management. This is again, one area where we believe that many irregularities in the past were being committed.
In addition to the work, Mr. President, of the Task Force as a collective group, we also created composite teams to follow through what we — the information that we received during the Task Force hearings or meetings.
So these composite teams, Mr. President, are normally composed of the NBI, COA auditors, the AMLC (money laundering), and also the PACC (the Presidential Anti- Corruption Commission).
Even as these composite teams are going through the process of investigating more deeply these alleged irregularities, we are also conducting lifestyle checks of certain key officials of PhilHealth so that we can relate — we can relate, we can connect the irregularities that we uncover during the investigation with the lifestyle of these people.
So there might be a reinforcing effect if we see that these guys are probably involved in this particular irregularity. They’re making money and it’s being shown in their lifestyle.
So, Mr. President, our ultimate objective within the time limit that you gave us is to be able to file legal actions with the Office of the Ombudsman. And also we will try to make use of the reports that we received from the Senate and the House of Representatives because as you probably — very well know, the investigations that they conducted were supposed to be in aid of legislation. But the same evidence will be used also for the purpose of filing legal action, and that’s the job of the Task Force.
Mr. President, even as we do this, we hope to be able to make recommendations as well for structural reforms at PhilHealth. In the course of our investigation, we’ll probably be able to discover what structural reforms need to be done at PhilHealth.
And we’re hoping that in this regard, Mr. President, the government — the Governance Commission for Government- Owned and -Controlled Corporations, which is under the Office of the President, GCG, Mr. President, will be able to make proposals for the reorganization, whether partial or total of PhilHealth.
More specifically, we have broached the idea to the GCG of creating an interim management committee for PhilHealth. And it’s something that probably the Office of the President may direct the GCG to do so that they will do it more immediately.
Finally, Mr. President, we hope that the job or the work of the Task Force may also help, in one way or another, Congress in crafting new legislation to strengthen PhilHealth and make it more responsive to the needs of the people.
That’s all, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Okay, let me ask you this. This is a very troublesome office for all of us, historically. Can we do it sa Customs?
SEC. DOMINGUEZ: Customs, if you go to the Customs office ho now ha, si Jagger has a very sophisticated system for monitoring all the shipments in the main ports in the country. Please visit. You didn’t see it eh, you didn’t go inside eh.
He has done… He is quite advanced sa ano eh, sa digitalization. Pero again, hindi pa perfect. But he is moving towards that. In other words, alam ni Jagger at any time which shipment is being processed in what port so he can…
And then they monitor kung magkano ang value ng shipment and how much they collect the taxes. If you use the information well, you can tell which is out of the ordinary and you can spot that.
It’s not perfect, again, pero it’s getting there. So I think ho sa SONA, you mentioned that you know, e-governance is very important. And I think Senator Go filed a bill on e-governance to eliminate red tape.
So it makes it easier for the citizen to deal with you, it makes it easier for you to deal with them. So this is quite — it’s quite an important move ho.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Time to be… We have been reining our horses for quite a long time out of friendship, out of gratitude helping me — I’m talking about me being President — so I had the help of this guy, the support of this guy, the party of whatnot.
Ganito ‘yan kay Jagger, I believe you. Si Jagger naman kasi I told him to fire Jumamil. Kaya sabi ko… But it took him quite about — quite about a lot of seasons to do it.
SEC. DOMINGUEZ: [off mic] One month or two months.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: No but he was still there. Sabi ko kay Jagger or through somebody, “Sisirain ka niyan. Kay ito si Jumamil, matagal na ‘yan diyan sa airport. Napaka-corrupt ‘yang p***** i** na ‘yan,” sabi ko. Huwag ninyo i-cut ‘yan.
Alam mo, ‘yan lang ang nakita ko na dalawang trabaho: board member ng DBP at nagtatrabaho sa Customs. Kaya sabi ko kay Jagger — kay Jagger, “Bitawan mo ‘yan, huwag kang maniwala.”
Maybe because Jagger was new at the time and he would need somebody to — to guide him to navigate through all of this hullabaloo sa Congress.
Pero sabi ko si itong si Jumamil tanggalin mo ‘yan kasi ‘yan naglalaro ‘yan matagal na siya. Buti’t na lang — I think he was also suspended by the Ombudsman? Oo, parang double whammy siya.
Pero I have to name him publicly for being… Ano ba ang tawag ko sa iyo? Sa Bisaya na lang. P***** i**, balasubas ka eh. Alam mo bakit Bisaya ka. Ang mahirap sa iyo sa panahon ko, you took advantage maybe because you helped me. And I want you to repay by just closing my eyes.
I could not understand why he was holding DBP director at the same time he was an employee of the Customs. Sabi ko kay Jagger, “Bitawan mo ‘yan, ‘pag hindi sisirain ka.” Eh ‘di malapit talaga siya nasira.
Well, I was considering — Jagger, I was considering of replacing you not because of anything. I can vouch na malinis ka. Problem is ‘yung — do not entertain loyalties especially in government. If you think that that idiot is going to destroy you, you destroy him first.
DSWD SECRETARY ROLANDO BAUTISTA REPORTS ON THE SOCIAL AMELIORATION PROGRAM
SEC. BAUTISTA: Mr. President and fellow members of the Cabinet, good evening. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the fund utilization for the Social Amelioration Program or SAP under the DSWD and provide necessary updates regarding the number of beneficiaries served for the first and second tranche.
At this point, allow me to begin by showing the summary of the DSWD’s total budget for the Social Amelioration Program. For the whole implementation of the program, the DSWD has a total budget of P207.6 billion. This is broken down into the P197 billion released by the DBM which was sent in tranches on April 2, April 16, and June 24; and the P10.6 billion which came from the realigned regular budget of the DSWD in order to support the necessary budgetary requirements of the program.
The DSWD, along with our payout partners, both in the direct and digital schemes, have been working hard to ensure that this subsidy be distributed to its intended recipients. We remain committed in this undertaking to secure the 100% accomplishment rate.
This concludes my presentation. Daghang salamat at mabuhay po tayong lahat.
LABOR SECRETARY SILVESTRE BELLO III REPORTS ON CAMP:
The Department of Labor and Employment implemented three major programs, Mr. President, for workers in the formal and informal sectors and especially the OFWs who had been badly affected by COVID-19.
For these programs, Mr. President, we had a total funding of 12, 400, 000, 000 sourced from the DOLE 2020 regular budget P4.8 billion; Bayanihan 1, 2.5 billion; and the recently released repatriation funds of P5 billion, Mr. President.
Nagpapasalamat po ‘yung mga OFW, Mr. President because we did not really ask for this fund but we were all surprised when you gave us P5 billion for repatriation expenses.
The first major program of CAMP, Mr. President, of DOLE is called CAMP or COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program. It is a safety net that provides one-time financial assistance to the amount of 5,000 pesos to workers in the formal sector where there is an employer-employee relationship, regardless of course of the status of employment whether regular, casual, contractual or even probationary.
CAMP has a total budget of P3.311 billion plus sourced from our regular budget funds. It benefited 662, 213 workers in the formal sector. We have fully utilized, Mr. President, our funds for CAMP in June 2020.
However, our CAMP applicants reached 1.6 million workers coming from almost 60,000 establishments. Hence, close to one million workers have not been served. However, Mr. President, all CAMP applications have been shared with DOF and SSS for their Small Business Wage Subsidy program.
And for this, about 183,000 CAMP applicants have been benefited by the Small Business Wage Subsidy of the Department of Finance and SSS. Thank you to Secretary Dominguez, Mr. President.
AGRICULTURE SECRETARY WILLIAM DAR MAKES A REPORT:
With your inspiring leadership, Mr. President, gusto kong ibalita sa inyo at siguro alam na rin ninyo na ang sektor ng agrikultura po ay lumago during the second quarter of the year, 1.6% in spite of the pandemic.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Secretary, pardon me but I know this is not your — it’s not your main line, but bakit maraming recoveries ang Pilipinas vis-à-vis with other countries?
PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON PEACE PROCESS AND NTF COVID-19 CHIEF IMPLEMENTER CARLITO GALVEZ JR.
Sir, marami po sa atin sir asymptomatic po sir at saka sir mild cases. If you will see in the graph, 55, 236 cases, out of that 55,000, 50,000 are only mild or 91.5% po sir.
PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Mga kababayan ko, we close this Talk to the People program of the government by allowing me to say this: that government will account for every money. Sabi ko dalawa ito, baka malito kayo na scandal. You might think of something else na one for the other.
Dalawa ito, itong PhilHealth. Ito ‘yung iniimbestiga ngayon ni Secretary Guevarra. Iyong ibang imbestigasyon sa Congress o bahala sila. Basta ito ang maglaro dito in the end it will be filed before the Ombudsman. Tapos iyan ang may eskandalo, may nakawan ng pera.
Itong COVID Bayanihan 1 and 2 malinis ito. Ang humahawak sa itaas nito si isang ahensya, integrated agencies. Pero ang sa pera ang — [How do I say this?] — the people that I have tasked, ‘yung binigyan ko ng responsibilidad pagtingin nito na para mahusay ang takbo at walang nakukurakot na pera, ang sa taas nito ay si General Lorenzana. Siya ‘yung pinakamataas dito sa ‘yung formal ano namin. Then it’s Secretary Año, General Año, then it’s General Galvez, Secretary Galvez.
Puro iyan sila military and why? Well, iyan ang paniwala ko. People might disagree with me, fine. But I have been with government almost 40 years. I will end — kung buhayin ako ng Panginoong Diyos, 40 years bago ako — 40 years ako sa politika. Alam ko ang laro ng gobyerno pati ang — ng buhay.
So ginagawa namin lahat. Hintayin na lang natin iyong bakuna. Mayroong medisina galing Japan pati itong Remdesivir pati Avigan, ito iyong pang ano lang — panglaban sa kung ano pa — ito iyong sa lagnat. Hindi ito iyong gamot.
Ang gamot iyong vaccine. Ang vaccine ay gawa sa katawan ng tao. Malapit na iyan. Russia, China, I don’t know of anybody, alam ko lang iyong dalawa nag-announce na mayroon sila and ready and they are willing to help. Both countries have — lumabas ng statement that tulungan nila ako.
Kung may bayad o hindi, hindi masyado klaro noon. But kung wala… Kung may bayad dahil marami masyado, ‘di utangin natin. Credit na lang or maghanap tayo ng loan. But if it’s not, I am sure that they are willing to give us that ganoon na privilege of borrowing from them.
Ang mauna, malapit na iyan. Ang China, any day would announce it. Ang mauna sa bakuna, ulitin ko, ay iyong mga tao na nasa listahan ng gobyerno na tumatanggap ng Pantawid. Ito iyong mga — mga mahirap.
Ang sunod iyon, iyong mga tao na hindi nakalista at mahirap. Hindi kayo. Kaya lang noon palipat-lipat kayo ng lugar, wala kayong ika nga tawag fixed address, kaya hindi ka nakalista sa barangay. Sila ang susunod. Pero ang mauna sa lahat ang mga military pati pulis kasi kung walang pulis pati military, babagsak tayo. Sino mag-guwardiya sa atin?
At iyong mga taga-gobyerno, kung gusto ninyo, ako ang mauna para magkaroon kayo ng kumpiyansa or I can be the last Filipino to get. Unahin kayong lahat, magpahuli kami.
Basta sigurado ang pinag-usapan dito na hindi mahuli ang mga mahihirap ngayon dito sa gobyerno na ito.
Maraming salamat sa inyo. [applause]
