Duterte starts packing, ready to leave Malacanang

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte said he has already started packing up his belongings and getting ready to exit Malacañang Palace as the election campaign to pick his successor officially kicked off.

“Nag-iimpake na nga ako eh. ‘Yung iba ipinadala ko na, ‘yung madala sa barko, binarko ko. You know the small things, ‘yung mga tokens, ‘yung mga bronze, ‘yun ang inuna ko, ‘yung mga mabigat (I am packing up. I have already shipped some items home, those that can be shipped. You know, the small things, tokens, bronze figures, I sent them ahead, the heavy ones.),” Duterte said in a public briefing.

The 76-year-old Chief Executive also said he is ready to leave Malacañang and welcome the new president. His six-year term ends on June 30, 2022.

At press time, Duterte has not endorsed any of the presidential candidates for the May 9 election. His daughter, vice presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, however, is hoping that the President will eventually endorse her runningmate, former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“I await the day of turnover. Matikman ko rin ‘yung feeling ng outgoing president. I will be the one to meet the new president, then I will invite him here for a tete-a-tete,” Duterte added.

Duterte said he hopes to be done moving out of his office in Malacañang by March or April.

“Nag-iimpake na po ako. I have a little over 3 months, so I should be out by March, hindi ko na paabutin ng Abril. Hindi na rin ako matutulog dito. Kung saan dalhin ng Panginoong Diyos, magpraktis na ako ng tulog doon,” he said.

Once he is done moving out, Duterte will go to the Palace every day to just fulfill his duties as president for the remainder of his term.

“Magpunta na lang ako dito for day-to-day trabaho, what’s left of the things we have to work on,” Duterte said.

Instead of staying at his official residence in Malacañang compound, he said he plans to buy a two-bedroom condo in Manila and only visit the Palace for “day-to-day” activities.

“Magpunta na lang ako dito for a day-to-day trabaho (I’ll go here for day-to-day work) and what’s left of the things that we have to work on. Iyon ang (That’s all)… At (And) I will make a speech one of these days thanking the people for the distinct honor of giving me the position as President,” he added.

He said he wanted his next residence to be “affordable” because he could not afford an expensive house.

“Nagplano kami na ano magbili na lang ng — ‘yung mumurahin na… O hindi ko kaya kung maganda. Pag-alis ko dito, wala akong matirahan. Wala akong mga (We are already planning to buy an affordable house. I can’t afford the nicer ones. When I leave here, I won’t have a place to stay. I don’t have cousins because all of them are in America so wala akong bahay dito (I don’t have a house here),” he said.

Duterte said he does not need a big house because his children are all grown up and even have their own political careers now.

“I don’t know where, kung saan ako dalhin ng Diyos (where God would take me). But I trust that he would not let me down,” he said.

Duterte and his family’s official residence is in Davao City.

Duterte said he also looking forward to meeting his successor and inviting him or her for a tête-à-tête.

“I wait the day of turnover, matikman ko rin ‘yung feeling ng (I would experience the feeling of being) outgoing President. I will be the one to meet the new president. Then I will invite him here for a tête-à-tête,” he said.

In December 2021, Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said Duterte is going to enjoy the privileges of being a private citizen and spend more time with his family when his term ends in June.

He said Duterte’s decision to back out from the senatorial race will allow him to prioritize the country’s Covid-19 response and ensure peaceful, transparent, and fair national and local elections.

Duterte earlier filed his candidacy as a substitute senator under the PDDS party or Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan, but eventually withdrew his senatorial bid. (Claire Morales True)