President Rodrigo Duterte is not hiding anything about his health, Malacanang said on Thursday.

 

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made the statement following a recent Social Weather Survey ( SWS), showing that seven out of 10 Filipinos are worried about Duterte's health.

 

"I think it’s a given that any citizenry in a particular country should be interested and be worried about any state of health that the head of state has," Panelo said in a press briefing. 

 

"But in the particular case of the President, he keeps on telling us exactly what he feels. He tells us his sufferings on particular illnesses that he got arising from accidents. In other words, he has not hidden, kept from us anything that involves his health. He tells us even when he goes to the doctors for examination," the official added.

 

Panelo, also the chief presidential legal counsel, said the Palace was glad that the people are worried about the President.

 

"It only means that they love the President," he said.

 

But despite Duterte's illnesses, which he had admitted earlier, he said the President could still effectively do his work.

 

"He may not be as strong as a bull like you, much, much younger, but certainly he can still function effectively as President," he said.

 

Compared with the "previous President," Panelo said there could be a big difference in fulfilling their job as President.

 

"I haven’t seen any President traveling the way he travels. He flies from one point to another, visiting the troops, visiting calamity victims, having situation briefings, attending wakes, visiting injured personnel in the military and PNP (Philippine National Police) and at the same time doing his work and still reading books," he added. 

 

He said Duterte looks groggy when he lacks sleep. Celerina Monte/DMS