Sara Duterte Criticizes ‍Foreign Influence, Defends Duterte Administration Projects

MANILA, Philippines -⁣ Vice President Sara Duterte has strongly voiced her opposition to any ‍foreign influence on Philippine national interests, urging⁢ all Filipinos to stand united against such proposals. ‍She also defended the projects initiated during her ⁤father’s administration,notably⁣ the Manila Bay dolomite beach,against what she ⁤termed as “political scapegoating.”

Opposition to Foreign Interference

Speaking in Filipino, the⁢ Vice President emphasized the importance of national ⁣sovereignty. “It shouldn’t be just me who’s against it, all of us Filipinos should be against ⁣this plan, because our actions should be for the interest of our country,⁤ not for the interest of other countries,” she stated. This sentiment⁢ underscores a deep-seated concern ⁢about⁣ external pressures potentially dictating domestic policy or actions.

Defense of ⁢Duterte Administration Projects

Duterte ⁢also addressed criticisms leveled against⁢ the supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte, known as the Duterte Diehard Supporters (DDS). She took issue with⁣ Philippine National Police director Gen.Nicolas Torre III’s remarks describing the ⁤DDS as having “no brains”⁣ and being anti-government. “If we’re stupid, you’re also⁣ stupid,” Duterte retorted,⁤ defending the loyalty and intelligence of the former president’s supporters.

Furthermore, she⁢ expressed⁤ no surprise that⁤ some lawmakers intend to investigate ‍projects from the Duterte administration. She specifically mentioned ⁢the controversial Manila bay ⁣dolomite beach, which has been blamed for flooding. “And ‍we shouldn’t be surprised if everything that’s happening⁢ will be blamed⁤ on the war on drugs and⁤ said to be president Duterte’s fault,” she commented. Duterte characterized these investigations as “political scapegoating,” suggesting that critics⁤ are unwilling to accept duty or be accountable for existing⁣ problems.

Call for Disaster Preparedness

Looking ⁤ahead, the Vice President stressed ⁣the need for proactive disaster risk⁤ reduction and management. she‍ called for better government planning to prevent future flooding and the stranding of commuters, urging for extensive strategies to mitigate the impact ‍of typhoons.

“We need to prepare.‍ We⁣ need to have‍ a plan, and from ‍that plan, we need to have projects, ⁢and we need to implement those projects, and⁢ we need‍ to be prepared personally for our properties,” Duterte emphasized.she encouraged widespread participation in local government disaster risk reduction ⁢and management plans,highlighting the importance of personal preparedness for various natural disasters such as landslides,floods,typhoons,and earthquakes.