Palace says Duterte in the “pink of health”

June 27, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte is in the "pink of health," Malacanang said on Tuesday. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar made the statement amid Duterte's absence in the public eye for the past six days. Duterte's last public appearance was on June 20 when he visited an evacuation center in Iligan City and a military camp in Cagayan de Oro City. It was his last public appearance since he skipped the Independence Day rites on June 12. "The President is in the pink of health," Andanar said in a radio interview, adding he would preside over the National Economic and Development Authority Board meeting in Malacanang on Tuesday. Duterte is scheduled to attend the presentation of P15 million donation for Marawi City and the Eid'l Fitr celebration, both in Malacanang. For the past few days, Andanar said the president was in Davao City. "Don't worry, the President is healthy. He just needed some rest and private time," Abella said. While Duterte was not seen in public for the past days, Abella said it did not mean that he was not working. Like a chief executive officer in a company, he said the president had been busy reading and signing documents and meeting with his staff. (Celerina Monte/DMS)