President Rodrigo Duterte wants Filipinos’ lives to return to normalcy for his upcoming birthday, Malacañang said on Thursday.
In a virtual presser, Palace spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte’s birthday wish is for the Covid-19 pandemic to end.
“The president wishes an end to this pandemic at nais po niyang lahat tayo ay makabalik po sa buhay nating mga normal,” Roque said.
“Despite Covid, I’m sure ang kaniyang birthday wish ay matupad pa rin iyong mas komportableng buhay, iyong makabangon ang lahat mula dito sa pandemyang ito.”
Duterte turns 76 on March 28.
He was the oldest person to be elected Philippine president at the age of 71 in 2016.
In August last year, Duterte bared in a public address that he was advised to stop drinking as his Barrett’s esophagus was nearing stage one cancer.
Roque later assured that Duterte was a “fit and healthy” person despite his age, and the Barrett’s esophagus diagnosis was given to the president a long time ago. John Ezekiel J. Hirro