By Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
President Duterte may spend even more time in his bailiwick Mindanao now that the Presidential Guest House in his hometown Davao City has been refurbished.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte may spend more time in his hometown now that that the Presidential Guest House in Panacan – also called “Panacañang” – has been refurbished.
“The President toured me around a refurbished Panacañang and my prediction is coming true – the President appears to be spending more time in Davao than in Malacañang,” Roque said in a press briefing in Valencia City, Bukidnon yesterday.
“It appears that the President is intent on spending more time in Mindanao governing rather than in Malacañang,” he added.
Roque said a refurbished Panacañang does not mean that Duterte will less be seen in his official residence in San Miguel, Manila.
“All I can say is, since there is a facility in Davao, it can be used. I’m not saying that the President will actually come to Manila less. He continues to have his Mondays to Fridays schedules in Malacañang,” he said.
“But it’s not a bad idea for the President, the Chief Executive in a unitary state of government, to spend more time in Panacañang, don’t you agree?” he said.
Last week, Duterte met Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi who paid a courtesy call to the President in Panacan two days after the New Year.
Duterte and the Indonesian Foreign Minister agreed to elevate cooperation on trade, maritime security, education, and eradicating terrorism.
The Chief Executive also held a command conference with the Philippine National Police on the 911 hotline in Panacan during the first week of the year.
The President has been going home to his hometown every week. Duterte has spent Christmas and New Year in Davao City.
