‘Reality bites,’ Roque tells Robredo as he insists gov’t beating Covid-19

MANILA, Philippines — “Reality bites.”

This was presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s response to Vice President Leni Robredo’s remarks against “rude” officials who could not accept the government’s lapses in its pandemic response.

According to Roque, reality bites when there is no acceptance by the opposition that the government is succeeding in all its programs, including the fight against Covid-19.

“I can only quote Winona Ryder— ‘Reality bites,’” Roque said in an online Palace briefing, referencing the 1994 film starring Ryder.

“Hindi po matanggap talaga na nagtatagumpay ang gobyerno sa lahat ng kanyang mga programa, kasama na po sa laban natin dito sa Covid-19 and reality bites.”

(They cannot accept that the government is winning in all of its programs, including our fight against Covid-19. Reality bites.)

“Kung may genuine issue po na ilalabas sa gobyerno, ilabas na po yung totoong issue na yan. Tama na po yung mga pasaring na ganyan. Reality bites is all I can say,” he went on.

(If there’s a genuine issue against the government, make it public. Enough with such quips. Reality bites is all I can say.)

In her weekly radio show, Robredo lamented the way some officials defend the government’s programs.

“Pero sa akin lang, kung kailangang magdepensa, magdepensa. Pero ‘yung klase ng pagdedepensa, parang ‘yung nakakalungkot, kasi ito na ba ‘yung klase ng public servants natin?” said Robredo.

(For me, if they want to defend, just do so. But the way they defend themselves is saddening. Is this the kind of public servants we have?)

“Para sa akin, hindi naman natin dine-deserve na ‘yung mga public servants natin mga bastos, hindi natin dine-deserve na ubod ng yabang,” she went on.

(For me, we don’t deserve rude public servants, we don’t deserve those who are overly arrogant.)

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