PRESIDENT Duterte urged Filipinos to rally behind the incoming Marcos administration and help it become successful.
The President, in his weekly “Talk to the People” address on Monday night, expressed hope everyone “would come to terms with the reality that we have a new government” and support its leaders so the new administration would be successful.
”We must all be united in confronting the issues ahead of us. We have no room for politicking or actions that are divisive to the country. The people have spoken, we have a new leader,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
Duterte did not endorse the candidacy of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. who will take his oath as 17th president of the country on June 30 after getting some 31 million votes in the May 9 elections. He supported Marcos’ running mate and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio who will be the next vice president.
Duterte said there should be an end to politicking especially by those who just criticize the government and the next administration.
“President-elect Marcos would need the cooperation and help of everybody. We must give it to him. That’s democracy. That is how we operate. And once the people have decided on the new leader, we follow. Let us avoid politicking, my friends, those who supported me, we rally behind the elected leaders of our country,” he added in mixed English and Filipino.
“The next administration needs all our support and solidarity. Let us therefore give them our goodwill and our best wishes as they endeavor to lead our country towards a better future,” he also said.
Duterte said his administration is “ready and eager to hand over the reins of government to the incoming leaders,” assuring the public of a “smooth and peaceful” transition.
Duterte hoped that the next administration would succeed and build on the gains achieved by his administration in the past six years.
Marcos Jr spent about P623.2 million for the presidential campaign, based on on his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) submitted to the Commission on Elections.
Marcos said no funds spent came out of his personal resources.
As for expenses spent from cash contributions, Marcos said it amounted to P371.795,856 while in-kind contributions spent totaled P251,434,320.
Marcos also declared total contributions of P624,684,320 — P247,234,320 in-kind contributions from his political party, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas; P373,250,000 in cash contributions from other sources; and P4.2 million in-kind contributions from other sources.
Under the law, candidates for president and vice president may spend P10 per registered voter, while other candidates are allowed to spend P3 per registered voter. As for independent candidates, they are allowed to spend P5 for every registered voter during the campaign.
Marcos submitted his SOCE a day before the June 8 deadline.
Other filers were presidential candidates Vice President Leni Robredo, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, and Jose Montemayor, and vice presidential bet Willie Ong.
Among senatorial candidates, those who have filed are Guillermo Eleazar, Antonio Trillanes, Chel Diokno, Jinggoy Estrada, Loren Legarda, Sherwin Gatchalian, Carl Balita, Herbert Bautista, Rodolfo Javellana, and and Francis Escudero.
Three more diplomats paid courtesy calls on Marcos Jr yesterday in his headquarters in Mandaluyong City. — With Gerard Naval
