FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte respond to Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s proud statements during his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, 2024.
Marcos claimed that a large amount of garbage was collected by barangays under the “Kalinisang Bagong Pilipinas” or Nationwide Clean-Up Program.
Marcos also touted that thousands of tons were collected through the program.
“Last January, we launched ‘Kalinisang Bagong Pilipinas,’ where we mobilized our barangays to clean their communities. In just five months, more than 40-K tons of garbage were collected by over 22-K barangays across the country. I expect continued support from local governments in cleaning our communities,” PBBM stated.
To recall, in January this year, the president tasked local governments to join this project under the Bagong Pilipinas initiative, stating that Filipinos do not deserve to live in dirty communities.
However, according to Former President Rodrigo Duterte, it would have been better if Marcos Jr. had just tasked the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement the Nationwide Clean-Up Program.
“It’s just that the government official, in this case, the president, should not have spoken like that. All he needed to do was order his DILG secretary in a cabinet meeting, “Do your job down the line, tell them what to do. If they can’t do it, give me an explanation because I’ll get someone else to do the job,” said Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Meanwhile, FPRRD pointed out that this initiative should not be considered a presidential achievement.
“There’s no such thing as an achievement in governance because governance, because governance is broad. Peace and order, sanitation, and all you can say is that we have done this thing and we have a product here. There is no achievement because it is a dynamic thing that does not end. When you say you have achieved something, there is always more to achieve tomorrow. The cycle of life and the world continues to repeat itself, including the problems,” added Former President.
Meanwhile, the severe flooding across Metro Manila and nearby provinces, caused by heavy rains from the southwest monsoon and intensified by Typhoon Carina, has uncovered a large amount of garbage, which has worsened the flooding.
