No more private jet for Rody

MANILA, Philippines - President Duterte will no longer take a private jet when he flies home to Davao City every weekend.

“Ayaw ko na mag private jet. Nakakahiya sa mga tao (I don’t want to take a private jet anymore. It is embarrassing to the people). I will be taking commercial flights,” the President said in his speech during the induction of new government officials at Malacañang yesterday.  

Duterte has been taking private planes the past six months but these were reportedly at no cost to government as private individuals had offered their planes to him.

Last Thursday, Duterte returned to Manila after his five-day break for the New Year in Davao City on a regular Philippine Airlines Flight 2820. He was seated at the rear section of the economy cabin. 

Arrangements were reportedly made for Duterte’s five-member party, including special presidential assistant Christopher Go and Presidential Security Group chief Brig. Gen. Rolando Bautista, to be seated at the rear of the A320 aircraft. 

The President turned down PAL’s offer for a seat in business class.  

The last time the President took a commercial flight was in July last year. He took a premium economy seat as he admonished members of his Cabinet and other government officials to shun business class seats.

But for his 10 foreign trips last year including the ASEAN 2016 Leaders Summit in Laos and the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Peru, Duterte and his delegation took chartered flights of PAL.