Duterte thanks Filipinos: ‘It was a fruitful, productive journey’

MANILA, Philippines — “To the people of my country, the Philippines, it was a fruitful and productive journey all these years with the help of people of all sectors who I thought early on can help me build a better future for our children,” President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday during his taped weekly “Talk to the People” briefing, with just three weeks left in his term, which ends on June 30.

“Thank you very much for giving your trust in me,” he added in Filipino.

Earlier in the briefing, he urged Filipino to rally behind the incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who he had criticized before the start of the election campaign for the May 9 elections.

“As we approach June 30, this administration is both ready and eager to hand over the reins of government to our incoming leaders,” Duterte said.

“I assure everyone that this process will be smooth and peaceful as we want the next administration to succeed for the benefit of the country.”

President Rodrigo Duterte in his taped weekly “Talk to the People” that aired on Monday, June 6, 2022. (Photo from an RTVM video posted on Facebook)

He said that the incoming administration would need all the support and solidarity it could get. So it should be given “goodwill and best wishes “as they endeavor to lead our country towards a better future.”

Ignored critics

During the briefing, as Cabinet members capped off their reports on updates on government efforts and achievements, Duterte praised and thanked his Cabinet officials for “working for the benefit of the Filipino people.”

The president admitted ignoring his critics.

“A president is a politician. He has opponents in politics. All throughout those six years, I did not pay attention to them. In my 23 years [in politics], I have been accustomed to politics,” he said.

He pointed out that people would say negative things about whatever a president did or did not do.

“So the better policy is just to ignore them, and that’s what we did. We never bothered to even hear what they were uttering or complaining about,” Duterte said.

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