Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for being unaware of government programs due to her frequent vacations.
Calls out Duterte
During a press briefing on May 6, 2026, in Cebu, Castro noted that while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was busy preparing for the 48th ASEAN Summit held in Cebu this week, Duterte was reportedly on vacation in another country.
“Currently, we are busy with the ASEAN Summit; the president is busy with the ASEAN Summit, but the vice president is on vacation again,” Castro said on May 6, 2026.
This was Castro’s response to Duterte’s recent statements during an interview in The Hague, where Duterte claimed that the Philippines was facing a triple whammy due to rising oil prices, a weakening peso, and a lack of funds.
Government response
However, according to Castro, despite the fuel and energy crisis, the president is working to alleviate the situation by repatriating Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) due to tensions in the Middle East.
This includes providing aid to workers and participating in the ASEAN Leaders Summit to unite with other nations to help address the ongoing crisis and regional problems.
She emphasized that the government continues to distribute aid and fuel subsidies through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), TUPAD Programs, and other government programs to help Filipinos recover from the crisis.
