MANILA, PHILIPPINES — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte praised his Cabinet members again on Monday, saying he’d be pleased to hand them on to the next administration for the Filipino people’s benefit.

“Limitado lang tayo ng six years but I’d be happy to hand you over to kung sino man ang susunod (We are just limited for six years but I’d be happy to hand you over to whoever leads in the next administration),” Duterte said.

Duterte stated that he has the “greatest minds” in his Cabinet, and that it would be preferable if their outstanding work could be continued in the future administration.

In a prerecorded “Talk to the People,” Duterte said that he could not have accomplished anything as President of the Philippines without the assistance of his Cabinet colleagues.

After Secretary of Transportation Arthur Tugade reported the Duterte administration’s vast list of accomplishments in the transportation sector, the Chief Executive commended him.

“I was actually looking at your slides and the way you’ve—you have not changed, your passion for achievement always been there. I’m old actually, maligaya ako para sa bayan na kinuha kita. Salamat (I’m happy for the country that I brought you in. Thank you) for your tireless toil and I am ready to pass you on to the next administration as a gift,” Duterte told Tugade.

For the benefit of the country, Duterte said he will recommend keeping his “best” Cabinet members.

“Mr. President, ako, emotional ako. Nag serbisyo lang ako dahil napakabait mo na Presidente. Kami pong mga gabinete sumusunod sa inyo dahil yung straight leadership niyo po at kabaitan hindi mapapantayan (Mr. President, I am emotional. I just served because you are a kind President. We, your cabinet members, are just following your straight leadership and your kindness is immeasurable),” Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. told Duterte.

Galvez praised Duterte for his “straight leadership” and “kindness.”

Duterte also praised Education Secretary Leonor Briones for her “outstanding” work and continuous commitment to improving the educational system for young Filipinos.

“Hindi talaga ako nagkamali sa pagkuha (I was not wrong in choosing you). I knew that you’d be a great help. We are nearing the end of our trip. It’s good for the listening public to [know] what are the sentiments that we poured in our work and what are the paradigms we follow being a Filipino and how to educate the Filipino people,” Duterte commended.

According to the President, his administration’s primary goal is to put the country “in a better place than yesterday”.

Duterte, whose six-year term ends in June, previously stated that he may not support any presidential candidate in the May 9 elections in order to “remain impartial.”

“Kung magtanong kayo kung may e-endorse ako (If you ask if I would endorse anyone) – I may or I may not. But preferably, I’d like to stay neutral. Ibig sabihin wala akong susuportahan na kandidato (This means I will not support any candidate). Unless, again, having said that I’ll say it again, it will be a compelling reason for me to go out and tell the people what it is. I’d like to bide my time. I’m not in a hurry,” Duterte said in an interview with Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar.

“I haven’t decided whether or not to support a candidate till now. At the moment, nobody is on my mind,” he continued. – WhatALife!

Source: (pna.gov.ph)

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