Rody catches up on sleep in seaside Davao

MANILA, Philippines — Finally, he’s back home in his “city by the sea” and can get some sleep.

That’s one thing President Duterte is looking forward to – coming home to Davao City to rest after a grueling schedule that saw him attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting in Da Nang, Vietnam and then hosting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Manila.

“I said I have a shortage of sleep… But I will recover because (Thursday) will be the last day and I’m flying out to my city by the sea,” Duterte said during a late night press conference after the ASEAN 2017 closing ceremonies Tuesday night. 

He pointed out that his schedule the past few days was so heavy that he barely had time to sleep.

“I could not even keep up with the heavy schedule. I have to wake up at six (a.m.),” Duterte said, adding that he could not sleep early because of bilateral meetings that were scheduled late at night. 

“But you know, I said we sleep at two, three and I wake up at six, seven because of so many bilaterals,” he said.

Back in Davao City – which he considers as his comfort zone – he will get some much-needed sleep and be with his grandsons and embrace his youngest daughter.

Christopher “Bong” Go, the President’s special assistant, told The STAR that Duterte just took yesterday as a time to sleep and did not entertain anyone.

Earlier, Duterte described his time with the children as “everything seems to be good,” in contrast to when he lands back in Manila and realizes that “something is wrong with this society.”  

“Had I known that this is the kind of thing that you have to indulge in, maybe, if I control the hands of time, I would have a different decision,” he added, referring to his decision to run for president.

His congressional allies gave him credit for a “highly successful” hosting of the 31st ASEAN Summit and related meetings.

“The participation of world leaders such as US President Donald Trump, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, among others, attests to the success of the gathering,” Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said.

“Their attendance underlines President Duterte’s gravitas as a global leader and affirmation of his government’s commitment to ASEAN’s shared prosperity and inclusivity despite regional diversity.”

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said Duterte showed statesmanship during the ASEAN events, noting that the President avoided getting angry and hurling expletives.

“That he is fast adjusting to his stature as a leader of the fastest growing economy of the world means only the best has yet to come for the Philippines under his presidency,” he said.

But opposition Rep. Teodoro Baguilat Jr. was dismayed to find that the ASEAN “did not even issue a statement of concern on the genocide at Rakhine state in Myanmar against the Rohingya” and on human rights abuses in Cambodia, the Philippines and some of its member countries.

To him, the activities were just a waste of money and something that were “all just handshakes and safe rhetoric.”   – With Jess Diaz