President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s “Mula sa Masa, Para sa Masa” with Ms. Rocky Ignacio – Episode 1
Television Network (PTV) – 4
19 May 2017
ROCKY IGNACIO: Magandang araw Pilipinas. Ito po si Rocky Ignacio. Ito po ang programang Mula sa Masa, Para sa Masa. Ito po ang programang maghahatid sa panguluhan kung ano ang kanilang mga problema.

At syempre ito rin ang magbibigay daan para maihatid ang mga mahahalagang programa ng pamahalaan.

Ngayong araw po, syempre makakasama natin ang
tinatagurin nating bida ng masa, si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE:
Magandang araw po. I am happy that I have thistime with you para pag-usapan ‘yung mga tinatanong ninyo sa akin. Questions that are never answered by me or by anybody else tapos gusto ninyong malaman ngayon ang mga rason na ‘to and I am ready to respond to your questions.


MS. IGNACIO:
Mr. President kasi meron pa rin mga katanungan ang mga Filipino sa usapin ng environment, isa po ‘yan sa mga matagal ng naging issue sa ating bansa, panoorin po natin ito.


  1. IGNACIO: ‘Yan Mr. President. Kasi marami rin po ang nanghinayang sa hindi nga pagkumpirma kay dating DENR Secretary Gina Lopez. Pero ano nga ba ang marching order ng pangulo kay DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu?

    PRESIDENT DUTERTE:
    The question is ripe. Una na natin pag usapan yung kay Secretary Lopez in the sense as she was rejected by the Commission on Appointments despite of my public pleadings in one or two public gatherings but I do not want to impose anything against the, or impose on the congressional body, Commission on Appointments. So tatanggapin natin yan.
    I chose Cimatu because I believe in him.  When I was the mayor of
    Davao City for the longest time, I was always appointed as the
    regional peace and order council chairman. So when he was assigned dito sa Davao City, we used to meet every now and then regarding the
    law and order situation of Region 11 of which I was the sabi ko nga,
    chairman.

    And we became friends and I know Cimatu. He is honest, hardworking, he is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy. He served his country well. At one time he was the envoy of President Arroyo nung mga evacuation movements ng ating mga kababayan sa Middle East and also, he was the Chief of Staff at one time.

    He’s a silent guy, very low-key personality but he does his work very well.

    Yung mining naman is, there is what you would call a description of your work.  All you have to do is to read the law creating that bureau,
    mining or the larger.. you would really be the DENR.

Basahin lang niya ‘yung mga provisions diyan and enforce it . It doesn’t have to be a genius especially Cimatu graduate nga ng PMA ‘yan, he will know what to do and he will do it right.

The quality that I had always been my requirement sa mga Cabinet
members is that you serve with honesty and integrity. Alam nila, alam
ni Roy, kilala niya ako, for so many years noong he was first assigned
various capacities thereon, siya at ako as mayor  alam niya ang ugali ko at alam niya ano ang ibig sabihin ng public service sa akin.

Matagal na kami nagkasama and I am sure that he will do his best for his country. Ang
sinabi ko lang nga, yung marching order ko, sabi ko right after I swore
him into office, sinabi ko lang that… my marching orders really is
you are there in the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources just do your duty and do it right and do not.. always do it
for the country.

MS. IGNACIO:
Okay, Sa issue naman ng peace and order Mr. President, panoorin natin ‘to.


[Video plays]


MS. IGNACIO:
  ‘Yan kasi Mr. President. May mga kaibigan akong reporter, na natatakot kasi sila na madako dito sa bandang Quiapo. Kasi nga nasa sa isip nila ISIS nga ang gumawa. Pero resulta nga ng

imbestigasyon ng PNP hindi at iba itong motibo so papano ika-counter ng government yung fear ng katulad naming ordinaryong tao na
wala talagang kinalaman ang ISIS dito?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE:
  In the first place, hihingi ako na lang ng

paumanhin sa inyo. I am forced to shift into minsan sa English because ‘di ko alam yung appropriate na Tagalog words to characterize what I am trying to say.

But certainly it is not an ISIS thing. One is that kung ISIS iyan di
puputok sa Quiapo yan it could be somewhere else but definitely not
Quiapo. Kasi puro, karamihan nakatira diyan kapatid natin na Moro.

If it is ISIS, I do not think it would start there or initiated in that
place. But there is bad blood amongst the groups of persons there. It
could be a rido, which is actually a rido is a vendetta, tawag naming
dyan e vendetta ng isang pamilya o isang grupo but yung pipe bomb na pumutok at saka yung, the subsequent ones, yung dalawa.

Kaawa naman yung nagdala, yung inutusan ng ano, he was working for this company, is it a delivery thing? Parang Uber, yuber or whatever ayan na empleyado lang ng isang kumpanya hinatid yung pinadeliver doon.

 While he was handling it, giving it to the other guy iyon pumutok.
And so iyon ang damay talaga but definitely, I am assuring you it is
not the handiwork of ISIS. Hindi naman sabihin mo ilagay mo naman lahat sa ISIS

I do not like ISIS. But I do not like to attribute things na hindi naman
nila ginawa.

Let’s put things in the proper perspective. Para we act fairly in
everybody’s thing and this is not theirs.

So parang away ito diyan sa loob na personal. Always, I think it is
money. But if there is something else in the theory, I do not know but
I should say it always begins with money matters. Almost all quarrels begin with money. Yun ang masasabi ko. And I assure our country.

Well Isis is
doing their thing which are altogether bad but wag naman  natin I ano
sa kanila iyong di naman nila ginawa.

It’s wrong and beside it could only mislead a person into believing
things that they are when they are not.

MS. IGNACIO:
Okay, Mr. President eto naman issue ito sa nagiging imahe ng Pilipinas sa international community panoorin nyo po.


[Video plays]


MS. IGNACIO:
‘Yun nga Mr. President sinasabi niya na hindi opisyal yung kanyang pagbisita sa Pilipinas. But then,nagkakaroon ito ng pagkakataonna sinasabi nga di ito taliwas sa sinasabi ng gobyerno when it comes to human rights at yung anti drug campaign ng Duterte administration.


PRESIDENT DUTERTE:
Well I would not know her from Eve, asawa ni Adam. You know, I would not talk about the soundness of her visit dito or visit nya doon. As a matter of fact she can talk anytime here, punta siya dito.

But I would not listen to her. You know there is one crucial thing
that happened while she was here. And her statement na ang shabu hindi nakakasira ng utak ng tao.  Anak naman si ma’am oy.  Ano pangalan niyan?

MS. IGNACIO:
Agnes Callamard.


PRESIDENT DUTERTE:
Ano, ay Agnes, kapangalan ka pa naman ng duktor ko. Alam mo, if you review and move backwards maybe ten steps back, from four or three years, 77,000 Filipinos died drug related crimes, mostly mga rape, mga murder diretso, rape with homicide, robbery with homicide ,robbery with rape and homicide. The last one that was really a very robust indictment kita yung babae doon sa Cagayan and lahat naka droga.

Kung ang mga tao magsabi sa iyo ang guardian angel niyan nagsasabi na patayin niya, katsahin niya yung nanay niya kasi demonyo. Kung lahat ng mamamatay tao diyan walang kasalanan, hindi siraulo, bakit pumatay ang mga pu— Bakit nila ginalaw ang mga bata? One year old, two year old.

Alam mo pagka ganun ang ginagawa ng tao whether you like it or not, he is crazy. Ang tao na mag rape ng 18 years old, one year old na bata must be crazy.

So what caused this insanity of the numbers of Filipinos committing
the crime? Imposible naman na  araw-araw may mabubuang lang sa
hangin, or because of genetical disorder. Ang experience natin would
tell us that it is a virulent chemical. And nobody but nobody can dispute that with just a simple statement, pareho ‘yung itim na isa ring pumunta dito, ‘yung buhok kung saan-saan pumunta.

Kaya sabi ko, mag-honeymoon na muna kayo ni… anak ng… kami dito na nagtiis sa droga for so many years, ako ‘yung mayor 23 years, halos gabi-gabi akong nagpa-patrolya noong bago pa akong mayor.

You want to dispute that with a statement without any factual basis? You did not even mention or pronounce something that is connected, a study that is connected with drugs.

How can you be so… stupid. You are stupid. Now, for me to submit to you an investigation at this time now, you must be crazy, you have prejudged me.

Ang sinasabi mong shabu cannot cause anything, or damage in the mind, or in the structure of the brain of a person. In-assume na tuloy ninyo na ‘yan, ibig sabihin pinatay mo for nothing, ‘yan ang gusto ninyong palabasin eh.

Pinapatay ko, dahil durugista, siraulo, baka patayin mo naman ‘yung hindi loko-loko. Ngayon, sinabi ninyo yung drugs okay ‘yan, parang aspirin lang ‘yan at pinatay mo pa.

You have prejudged me and sinong g*** na papayag na pumunta ng investigation nung ganoon, nung prine-judge na ninyo ‘yung shabu as one chemical that does not really affect or damage the brain of a person.

You must be kidding. You must be kidding. Kayo ang dapat i-indict ko, if you want to have a public debate, come here.

Basta, if you want to testify against me, you must be under oath, including the rapporteur. If you want to state your charges, be under oath because if there is anything false or a lie there, I will go after you.

And I will see to it that you’ll go to jail first. Talagang hahatakin, even if you are a foreigner, I don’t know if you enjoy diplomatic advantage. But again, pagka ginawa mo ‘yan dito, I will arrest you.

You are committing perjury… God.

  1. IGNACIO:Yes. Mr. President, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, your anti-drug war is to protect the more than 100 million Filipinos?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, correct. You have 4 million drug addicts, what am I supposed to do?

Alam mo ganito ‘yan eh, Rocky, at the time he commits the crime, magnanakaw siya pera para magamit niya, he can buy shabu, he kills a person but at that time he is high on drugs.

Therefore, not in his right mind, pagka na establish ‘yan, na siya pumatay dahil sa droga, hindi mo madala sa korte ‘yan, because at that time he is not of sound mind, he is not equipped with the mental faculties to face the cons… to discern what is right and what is wrong.

Ngayon, kung hindi siya g*** noon, hindi siya buang, but at the time of the trial buang na siya o baka 6 months after, overuse of the chemical shabu, hindi mo na rin sila ma-demanda.

And they cannot stand trial because the court will say, “look, he cannot stand trial because he’s crazy.” And so, in between far and wide the victims now, who will answer for these crimes?

Hindi mo naman mahabol kasi out of his mind nga nung ginawa niya, o nung ginawa niya of his right mind but at the time of the trial wala na, sabog na, sino ngayon ang babayad nitong problema [beep sound]

Who will now answer for this loss of so many lives? And who will now take care of this 4 million? Madali lang ‘yan sabihin sa inyo, kita mo naman sa America, tapos sila—

You know, it was not until with the advent of everybody being conscious of human rights. Wala ito noon eh, but in the early 60’s, itong America and itong EU, but lalo na America, in their desire to be civilized… to be known as a civilized state, started going around, giving assistance for promotion of human rights, wala pa ‘yang shabu.

Not even money to combat shabu, only the promotion of human rights, karamihan noon mga political. Mga biktima sa political vendetta. Either because the dictator is… is harsh of putting in prison many of his political enemies.

Doon nag-umpisa ‘yan, ngayon, they rambled into so many things: Marijuana, bawal noon, patayan tapos suddenly they realize, Marijuana pala hindi, okay ‘yan, so nagbibigay na sila ng marijuana.

‘Yung pinatay ninyo noon, papano ‘yun? Kung ang marijuana pala okay, pinagbibigay na ninyo ng libre ngayong, so what happened to those that were arrested and those that are killed in the process?

Sinong managot doon, gobyerno, kayo? Tapos pupunta kayo dito sa amin tinuturo ninyo kami. Na sa amin, alam namin na bawal talaga, eh nasa batas naming eh. See?

And if they are arrested, and they do not want to be placed under the custody of the law, but rather would fight, makipagpatayan, makipagsaksakan, and they are killed and you are pointing it to me, wala naman akong inutusan na patayin ka ng nakatalikod o nakaluhod.

So, dapat kayo ang may topak, siguro kayo ang nag-marijuana noon, ‘yung ulo ninyo sira. How about the drug-bust operations noon ng marijuana namatay, kinulong ninyo ng 99 years… aggravating because it was a…

The crime of rape was committed with the use of drugs, so maximum of 60 years, 50 years. Who will now pay for this? Following your theory, who will not pay for this?

Na-libre na pala ang marijuana ngayon, pinagbibigay na ninyo, ngayon ang gusto ninyo, suggestion ninyo, maglagay ako ng istasyon ng mga shabu at ibibigay ko sa mga Pilipinong… para libre na.

May tanong ako sa inyo: kayong lahat diyan sa human rights, magsabi lang kayo ng totoo, hindi ako magagalit, naka-droga kayo? Hindi, magsabi lang kayo ng totoo, are you on drugs? Because I am inclined to believe that you are.

  1. IGNACIO:Mr. President, you…

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Magbigay ako ng halimbawa, kung maglagay ako ng shabu dito ngayon, ikaw, kukunin mo?

Ms. Ignacio: Hindi ako marunong niyan. Mister President, ‘yung kampanya mo kontra iligal na droga, talagang sinusuportahan ‘yan maski ng mga Pilipino abroad. Pero nasaan na nga ba ang anti-drug war ng Duterte administration?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Sinabi ko sa inyo ganito, ‘yang general statement ko, Mayor pa ako niyan. Sinabi ko sa inyo, huwag ninyong sirain ang mga anak namin, kasi kapag kami ang tumanda, kaming nandito sa kuwarto na ito, puro gobyerno lang ito.

So wala kaming mga salarin na pwede kaming mag… ako kasi, Presidente na, maybe 9 months straight sa ospital, the best services, lahat first class. Pagdating ng 9 months, tabla na ako.

Eh ’yung mga mahirap pa sa akin? Sinong magbili ng oxygen sa kanila, sinong magbigay ng medisina sa kanila, sinong magsusubo ng lugaw sa bunganga nila? Kayo, p***** i** ninyo.

Madaling sabihin ‘yan eh. Who will suffer? It’s the Filipino, the child na inasahan namin na pinag… na inalagaan namin ng mabuti, tapos mabuang lang sa ganoon.

And there comes the ridiculous suggestion that I place drugs in strategic places for them just to use it and when they are drunk, after all ganito eh.

When all has been said and done, at the end of the day, the Republic of the Philippines will collapse. Who’s gonna revive it? Who’s going to help them? My countrymen, who’s going to rehabilitate my country from the onslaught of drugs, kayo?

Kayong mga [beep sound], you’re crazy, you must be crazy. Kaya ‘yung sinabi ko na, “do not do this because I will kill you,” that is a general statement wala akong… I, I, ako… I will kill you.

Hindi ako nagsabi na, I will order Bong Go to kill you with a revolver or a pistol or with a… because it was an outrage coming from a leader. Pero ‘yung mga pulis, bago maging pulis ‘yan, tinuturo na sa kanila kung paano, kung kailan magpatay ng tao.

And there is only one rule there, whether in the performance of duty or isa ka lang… a citizen, and walking to the streets and you are attacked, wala kang kasalanan and you kill the idiot, self-defense, sa pulis naman, performance of duty.

Hindi ko na kailangang sabihin that I will kill you because the law says that da-da-da-da… tapos na ‘yan, alam ng pulis kung hanggang saan ‘yan sila.

‘Yung ‘I will kill you’ is an outrage of mine and ‘yan ang ginagamit ng mga ‘yan, kaya nga ako sabi ko istupido kayo eh. Kita mo naman, I never said I will order the army, I will order the scout rangers to kill you.

I said, “I will kill you.” Hanggang ngayon, wala pa akong pinatay na rapporteur. Sinong pinatay ko? “I will kill you,” that is a generic… Kasi ‘yan ang galit ko ng mayor ako, ‘yang ang galit ko ngayon.

You know what, you must understand that I am just… I am not just a mayor, or was a mayor for nothing. My job there was to catch or run around, my job was to heal the city.

When I was first elected President, my job was to build a nation. Stop [beep sound]

  1. IGNACIO:Speaking of building a nation, Mr. President, maganda ‘yung pagkilala sa iyo ng international community, even Chinese President Xi Jinping, invited you doon sa international, ‘yung One Road, One Belt.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Framework for really progress and China has a large participation there including maybe the financing of projects that would be critical in building that hypothetical road. 

It actually… it’s not… it travels around the sea papuntang Pilipinas then to Malaysia down to Indonesia, then maybe Australia.

Ms. Ignacio: Isa ‘yan sa mga magki-create doon sa target mo na magdagdag opportunities and trabaho sa mga–?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, because China would build the industries for you to export and import.

So kung ano ka, malakas ka diyan, kagaya ng Pilipinas, sa agricultural tayo because whether you like it or not we are agricultural based country. Then we start to improve on that and maybe expand. 

Kung ano ‘yung pinakamarami sa’yo, ‘yun. Mining, ‘di mine and mine and mine  and produce more. You need money really to grow up in this world.

Ms. Ignacio: Pero ‘yung inappoint mo si Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, nagkaroon na kayo ng conversation or discussion kung papaano idi-deal ‘yung issue ng Pilipinas sa South China Sea?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Yes, may prangkahan na kami. More than ‘yung sabi ninyo na suggestion niya [unclear].

Sabihin ko lang sa inyo in due time, in front of several Cabinet members, point blank. Sinabi ko ‘yun. Sinabi ko, we are going there to drill for oil, ‘cause that is ours. Ayaw ko na lang -iano ‘yung sagot ng–

Pero ganito na lang. Sabihin ko sa’yo. Iyo ‘yan? Do not touch it. Kaibigan tayo. Kung pakialaman mo ‘yan, gusto mo away tayo, giyera tayo? 

More than just invoking ano, na amin ‘yan, amin ‘yan. Eh kung sagutin ka ng ganon, anong gawin ko? Teka muna kay mag kuha ako ng Navy ko.

Ms. Ignacio: Pero definitely, Mr. President, ‘yung decision ng UN Arbitral Tribunal hindi mababalewala ‘yun when it comes to–?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Hindi ‘yan mababalewala becaue it will be there for all time and it will always bug China. 

But at this time, because so many countries are claiming the area, kaya sila ganyan. Kasi Vietnam is also there. Nandiyan ang Malaysia. Mag-agawan ‘yan, magulo na. Kaya sabi niya, “Huwag muna.”

Wait for better times when heads are cooler and when we are, we have the equanimity sa ating katawan, both in minds and body to discuss it. 

But I told them that there always be a time that the issue will crop up even during my term.

Marami tayong pledges to help and China has been very adamant about it. Actually they have, they are the ones hurrying us up. ‘Yung first mga tranches nila dumating naman.

It’s about two billion plus already coming in. Dumating na. And everybody’s taking advantage of it. It is not really a money where you can withdraw from the bank and then you just throw it out.

It’s a money for business. So lahat ng mga may negosyo ngayon na gusto mag-expand… So in expanding, you also increase the number of Filipinos employed.

Ang habol ko diyan ang trabaho muna. But maybe later on, in the fullness of God’s time, we’ll be able to develop really a product that our own. Most of that is really ‘yung steel which is one of the concessions being asked by the itong komunista, that we develop our own steel industry.

Kasi sabi kasi nila mura ngayon. Some other school of thought say that a [block?] of supplies… iron. 

Hindi ‘yan eh. Eh kung magka-l****-l**** itong buhay na ito, mag-away-away kayo. Saan na kukuha ng para gawing bala?

Ms. Ignacio: Pupunta na tayo ngayon sa bahagi ng programa na ‘to na “Good Job.” Bibigyan ka naming ng magandang balita, ‘yung “Good Job” pagdating sa ating mga OFWs. Tingan niyo po ‘to.

OFW in video: WASAQ po. Ang meaning po ng WASAQ is Welfare and Services Associated with Hospitality Qatar. 

Ito po ‘yung grupo ng mga OFW na tumutulong sa ating mga kababayan dito para po mai-uplift or mai-enhance ‘yung kanilang skills regarding in baking.

So ang [unclear] po ngayon is naga-assist sa amin in terms of food ng mga volunteers and rental ‘nong place. Meron po kaming mga graduates na dating [T-Boy?] which is ngayon pastry chef na sa mga hotels dito.

So meron din po kaming graduate na dating domestic helper pero ngayon po isa na rin po siyang pastry chef. 

‘Yung iba naman they cannot afford na to pay so libre po talaga.

Ngayon, ito lang pong huling batch nagbigay po kami ng, nanghingi kami ng—

Man in video: Volunteer na nagluluto ng mga pangarap ng ilang OFW na naghahangad sumarap ang buhay. Hindi lamang dagdag na income ang natitimpla sa bawat attendee, kung ‘di paraan ito sa pagtaas ng morale nila dahil sa dagdag tulong sa harap ng pugon.

Gaya ng cake na sa unang salang walang halimuyak, kaunti ang attendees sa WASAQ sa unang salang. Pero habang umuusog na sa  ng kaalaman, umakit sila sa mga gustong tumikim ng matamis na pastries.

Woman in video: Hangga’t nandidito po kami, willing po kami to volunteer para makatulong. Ang kailangan lang po talaga namin ‘yung lugar.

Man in video: Nangangamba nga lang si Aling [Rosalie?] ang hepe ng pugon na baka mapanis ang sinimulan nilang putahe ng malusog na kapalaran para sa OFWs ng Qatar.

Kahit suportado ng TESDA, OWWA at POLO ang kanilang baking school, wala silang sariling panaderya para ma-preserve ang mga mabuting layunin.

Ms. Ignacio: ‘Yan, ano ‘yung maipapahatid na tulong ng pamahalaan?

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Ganito ‘yan Rocky eh. ‘Di naman ako nagpapa-corny, but ako talaga mahal ko ang kababayan kong Pilipino. Pilipino ako eh. 

Ngayon, maski sa… ang pangako ko na walang corruption. Talagang hihintuin ko ang corruption.  Kapag naka-demanda ka ng corruption dito, I will see to it na kung may kasalanan ka, you are out.

It goes for all, from the Cabinet. May finire (fire) out na ako during a Cabinet meeting for lying through his teeth in front of me. 

May mga taga-Davao ako na with me since I was Mayor. Wala, sinipa ko.

Ganito kasi ‘yan para sa ating mga OFW. Sabi ko, I promised you within mga three to four years mag-stabilize ‘to. Wala ‘yung droga, ‘yung kriminal, I will go down then progress can really come to our country.

Maghintay lang ho kayo nang konti. Just give me time to improve things and sa awa ng Diyos, i-improve talaga tayo. 

Ngayon pa lang nagi-improve na economy. Umaakyat na. Ang exports natin back to the original. Noon, wala nang nagbibili ng saging kasi may ano, may alitan ang America, pati tayo nadadamay sa China. And the same with Russia.

Kaya ganito ‘yan for the OFW. Ganon na lang ang pagmamalasakit ko sa inyo. Kasi alam mo, may nanay umaalis. Once the mother leaves, the family, that family is already, hindi na normal ‘yan. Dysfunctional na ‘yan.

Pag umalis pa ang tatay at pupunta doon sa isang bayan, hindi magka pareho, that family is now left in the care of mga lolo, lola, o kapatid.

That time, dysfunctional na ang bata. Lalaki ‘yan na wala masyadong disiplina, always longing a father or mother.

Kaya ako talagang galit sa mga durugista. Talagang papatayin ko kayo kasi kita mo naman lumalabas ng bayan ‘yan and they endure ‘yung kalungkutan sa anak.

Ang anak… Both ways ‘yan eh. Ang anak maghanap ng tatay, nanay. Tapos tatay, nanay always pagka gabi.

And they endure hardships. Tingnan mo ‘yang mga Pilipinong umuuwi dito. Ano ang standard nila? Ang tulog nila ilan? Basahin mo lahat, three to four hours. Ang kinakain ‘yung lugaw pa na basura na sa ibang tao.

Kaya ako diyan mainit. ‘Yung iba are subjected to sexual abuse and they endure it para lang kumita, maipadala sa mga anak nila, para makapag-aral. Only to realize at the end of the day pagbalik nila, nasira sa shabu o nabiktima ng drug addict ang mga anak kasi walang nagbabantay.

Ms. Ignacio: Yes. May isa pang humihingi naman ng tulong, Mr. President. Isang OFW sa Qatar na nagtatrabaho ng legal 13 years ago. Gusto ng amo niya na maging illegal na ang kanilang operasyon, mag-recruit ng mga Pilipino na wala umanong malinis na papel ang kanilang tinututulan.

Ang ganti ng amo ay pagkansela ng kanyang kontrata. At nagka-anak siya. Nagka-anak siya tapos namatay ‘yung asawa niya kaya nawalan din ng documents ang bata, na-null and void. Pakinggan natin ‘yung story.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, we have always the embassy and if you have time, I will personally have the Foreign Affairs department to look into this. Give more focus on acts of injustice and we will do the necessary things to help you.

Ms. Ignacio: Ito, pakinggan natin, Mr. President, para maka abot sa‘yo ‘yung hinihingi nilang tulong. Panoorin mo ‘to.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Mas mabuti ‘tong programang ‘to. Nakakatulong kaagad tayo.  Eh dito naman madali lang. All you have to do is go to the embassy tomorrow, bukas. Gabi man siguro, umaga man siguro diyan. I don’t know.

Ms. Ignacio: Five hours.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Five hours difference, okay. Punta kayo sa embassy natin. Babayaran ko ‘yung utang ninyo at bigyan kayo ng travel documents. 

About the thing… ano ‘yung hinihingi ng DFA? ‘Yang certificate of– Sabi ko walain na ‘yan. That’s… I do not like that regulation. That’s b*****. Hindi na kailangan. Magpadala ako ng pera pang bayad doon sa utang mo at umuwi na kayo kaagad.

When I got home the last time, I was, I brought with me 150. Sana nakasali ka na doon. There’s another one coming up. 

Dito naman sa pupunta ko ng Russia, may 100 Filipinos na gustong… 150 o 100 na gustong umuwi.

Kung matuloy ako doon, kung matuloy ako doon, Inshallah, God willing, dala ko na ‘yun sila. Sabi ko sa eroplano, mag-reserba ng 100 seats. Kung kulang, itapon na ‘yung ibang opisyal para makasakay ‘yung mga worker.

Ms. Ignacio: Ngayon naman sa pagkakataong ito, Mr. President, ibibigay namin ‘yung “Hotline ng Masa.”

Ito ‘yung pakikipag usap mo ng personal doon po sa mga nais humingi ng tulong sa’yo.

Pakinggan po natin si… Narito si Ms. [Nancy Aranzazu?] na isa pong OFW. ‘Yan. Siya ‘yung nakita natin, nireport natin, Mr. President, na humihingi sa’yo ng tulong. At least ito personal mo ng maipapaabot ‘yung sinabi mo kanina.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: ‘Yung… okay na ho. Babayaran ko ‘yung ticket. Punta lang kayo sa embassy at magpadala ako ng pera para sa pambayad sa utang at makauwi na agad kayo, in about mga two days. Huwag na kayong umiyak, wala namang… sayang lang ‘yang luha mo.  

Ms. Aranzazu: Sobra po kaming saya. Kasi kayo lang po ang nakapansin ng problema namin kasi 20 years na kami dito. 

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kaya ako nandito para sa inyo eh.

Ms. Ignacio: Okay, maraming salamat.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Huwag ka na sige umiyak. Huwag ka ng umiyak.

Ms. Aranzazu: Ang saya-saya po namin. Sobra pong saya talagang–   

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Bigyan mo ako ng ngiti, huwag mo ako bigyan ng iyak kasi pati ako napapaiyak na tuloy dito. 

Ms. Aranzazu: ‘Yan po lagi pinagpe-pray namin sa Panginoon na makausap po namin kayo. Talagang answered prayer. Salamat talaga nang marami. 

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Kaya pala ako ginising ng Panginoon kagabi eh. Pumunta ka diyan sa opisina mo kay may gustong kausapin, mag-usap sayo sa Skype. Ikaw pala ang nag-udyok ng Panginoon. 

Nagkatotoo pala talaga. Sige na. Punta na kayo bukas at ayusin na ninyo ‘yung papel. Magpapadala ako ng pera, sandali lang naman.

Ms. Ignacio: Okay, maraming salamat po.

Ms. Aranzazu: Daghang salamat po, Mayor. Thank you. Thank you.  

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Trabaho ko ‘yan. Huwag mo akong pasalamatan. Trabaho ko ‘yan.

Ms. Ignacio: Okay, salamat po Mrs. Nancy Aranzazu.

Ms. Aranzazu: God bless po.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: God bless.

Ms. Ignacio: ‘Yan po ‘yung hotline ng masa kung saan personal niyong makakausap ‘yung mga taong nangangailangan. At siyempre ito ‘yung, alam po naming pagod na si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte. Nais natin siyang—

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Hindi, okay lang.

Ms. Ignacio: Pasalamatan at nabigyan po ng pagakakataon ang programang Mula sa Masa, Para sa Masa. 

Ito po ‘yung pagkakataon niyo na mailapit o mailapit niyong personal sa Pangulo ‘yung inyong mga hinaing o reklamo na agad namang tutugunan ng Pangulo.

At siyempre nais nating pasalamatan dahil alam nating busing(busy)-busy si Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Maraming salamat po sa programang ito.

At siyempre nais po nating pasalamatan ang RTVM, ang PCOO, People’s Television Network, Radyo ng Bayan, Philippine News Agency, Philippine Information Agency, at ang ating social media accounts, Presidential Communications Facebook page, ang Mula sa Masa, Para sa Masa.

Ang inyo pong statement, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT DUTERTE: Well, I’m happy. This is the maiden flight ‘ika nga. 

If we can just continue with this program so that I can have communications with our countrymen outside the Philippines. At hindi talaga namin alam ‘yang  mga problema ninyo. 

Some are solvable, some are not. Some, it would take time for me to solve the problem. But you have my assurance na kami po ay trabahante lang sa gobyerno. We are workers of government and we intend to really work for you.

Ms. Ignacio: Okay, maraming salamat, Mr. President. Maraming salamat po. Hanggang sa susunod, ako po si Rocky Ignacio.

— END —