(Note from MindaNews: This is the official transcript of President Rodrigo Duterte’s speech, released by the Presidential News Desk of the Presidential Communications Office)
Presidential Communications Office
Presidential News Desk
STATEMENT
OF
PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE FOR SINGAPORE
[Delivered at Davao International Airport, Buhangin, Davao City | 26 April 2018]
Ay sige’g pakpak lang mo diha.
To the media, I will not be entertaining questions now. Late ako. I have — nasabit ako doon sa Mason. I delivered a long…
Meron akong — they’re waiting for me sa side meetings.
So I will just say, today, I leave for Singapore to join my colleagues in the region to participate in the 32nd ASEAN Summit.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s invitation provides the working — opportunity for Southeast Asian nations to continue working closely to further strengthen community-building and advance greater peace, security and stability in the region.
As a responsible state, the Philippines remains committed to engage our partners to achieve the change that we want and need.
Singapore’s theme of a Resilient and Innovative ASEAN helps push forward the thematic priorities [we] pursued during the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship.
Technology and innovation will be the key instruments in achieving inclusive and sustainable growth. With the technology and innovation, we can also further enhance the regional interconnectivity and address traditional and emerging threats.
We will continue to work towards the realization of ASEAN Vision 2025 by identifying and prioritizing initiatives that will move forward [action] lines in the ASEAN’s political-security, economic, and socio-cultural communities.
We shall promote the further implementation [and operationalization] of outcome documents, particularly the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers and the ASEAN Declaration [on] the Role of Civil Service as Catalyst to Realize ASEAN Vision 2025.
Rest assured that your government will take every opportunity [and] use every available venue to uphold and protect the rights of our countrymen working abroad.
At the sidelines — I will also discuss with my fellow ASEAN Leaders regional and global threats on peace, security, especially terrorism in our area.
I look forward [to] meeting our kababayans in Singapore.
Upon my return, as usual, I shall report what we have achieved as we continue to stay true to our mandate of serving the best interests of our nation and people.
What would interest me really there is articulate the plight of migrant workers. Isa tayo sa pinaka-marami.
I will make an extensive — I will answer all your question, particularly… Kumpletuhin ko na lang ‘to so that I would, it would be one answer and a report at the same time to the people of the Philippines.
Thank you. I have to leave. I’m catching up — I’m due for a late, late dinner. I said ma-late lang ako nang konti. Hintay lang kayo.
If you now want to know kung ano ‘yung eroplano ko, ‘yung diyan sa harap. It’s a jet which I borrowed but I will have to pay for the fuel and the — sa mga piloto.
Tsaka nagkuha ako ng private stewardess. Maliit ang eroplano. Hindi kami makagalaw. So makitid masyado.
But still — it’s there. Hindi mabuksan ‘to? Is it permanently closed?
Kung gusto ninyong makita ‘yung eroplano because everybody is asking who is going to do this, magkano…
Wala. Parang ano ‘to… I’ll pay for the avgasand the allowances. Hindi sweldo, allowances lang ng piloto pati one stewardess.
Actually… [unclear] the Air Force. Nahiram lang ako.
So thank you.
— END —
