Press Officer of Malacañang Responds To Claim of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte over Overseas Trips
Malacañang slammed Vice President Sara Duterte over her latest remarks about her frequent travels to the different countries abroad.
The attention of many people was hooked by the frequent travels of Vice Pres. Sara Duterte to other countries. This year, she has been to Australia, Malaysia, and Qatar among other countries. She’s also flown to The Hague, Netherlands several times for her father, former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
There were instances when the Vice President attended the Free Duterte Now rally organized by the Duterte supporters abroad who call for the release of the former President. Vice Pres. Sara Duterte insisted that she does not use public funds in her personal trip.
According to the Vice President, during a personal trip, she uses her own money. She also claimed that the public funds are only utilized for official trips. Her work continues even when she is on a personal trip as to her.
On her claim that she continues to work even when she is out of the country, Malacañang previously said Vice Pres. Sara Duterte should disclose the good results of her visit abroad. However, the Vice President declined to do so.
Malacañang previously cited that the Vice President has been to four (4) countries in less than a month after the 2025 Midterm Elections. While Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro stressed that it is the Vice President’s choice is she’s busy on her travels, she also expressed that the people are seeing what the elected official is doing.
Recently, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claimed that her frequent overseas trips is because the Filipino communities abroad are allegedly “frustrated” over what is happening in the country now. To it, Malacañang immediately responded.
Based on a report on GMA News, Palace press officer undersecretary Claire Castro claimed that the Filipinos abroad will allegedly be really frustrated because while the President is here in the Philippines working, the Vice President is usually on a personal trip to other countries. She stressed that traveling abroad is not the solution if the country has a problem.
“Mapu-frustrate ‘yung mga kababayan natin abroad dahil ang Pangulo po ay nasa Pilipinas nagtatrabaho samantalang ang Bise Presidente ay madalas nasa personal trip at hindi po sagot ang pagbabyahe para ma solusyunan kung may problema man ang bansa,” Castro said.
The Malacañang press official also expressed that it is not the Vice President’s job and Constitutional mandate to travel and speak ill of the President. Furthermore, Castro also said it is Duterte’s duty to call among the Filipinos the ouster of the Chief Executive.
“Hindi po trabaho ng Bise Presidente at wala po sa Konstitusyon na kailangan siyang magbiyahe para siraan ang Pangulo at para hilingin sa taumbayan ang pagbagsak at pagtanggal sa puwesto ng Pangulo,” she said.
Based on the report, Atty. Claire Castro also said that if Pres. Bongbong Marcos will be removed from office, the Vice President will be the one who will benefit from it. According to the Malacañang press official, it is clear that a personal trip is allegedly for a personal agenda.
The Congress is set to start the budget talks for 2026. Ahead of the bicameral conference committee’s budget deliberation, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte claims she already expects budget cut from the proposed fund of the OVP for 2026.