Undersecretary Claire Castro stated that Vice President Sara Duterte contributed nothing to the 48th ASEAN Summit. This was Castro's response to Duterte's earlier remark that the secretary's statements should not be taken seriously due to her attention-seeking behavior.
Castro criticizes Duterte's performance
“Perhaps she speaks that way because she is too behind. There is a saying that the brain operates on a use it or lose it principle, so we are not surprised that she is behind on updates and current events about what the president and the government are doing because she does not know how to use a computer and do research, so she does not know what is happening currently,” Castro said on May 8, 2026.
Castro added that aside from being unaware of national events, the vice president reportedly did not help in the major event in Cebu. “She is not helping now at the ASEAN and she has no work,” the undersecretary said. “It seems that cooperation and collaboration are not in the vice president's vocabulary,” she added.
Previous criticisms and debt issue
Earlier, the secretary criticized the vice president for taking a grand vacation while the president was busy with preparations for the summit. Castro also addressed Duterte's statements about the rising unemployment rate and the country's alleged debt burden. She reiterated that the debt did not start during Marcos' time but was inherited from the previous administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Castro explained that borrowing is normal as it is used to help those in need, especially during emergencies and crises.
