Duterte made fewer public appearances, fewer trips abroad in 2018

(Editor's Note: President Rodrigo Duterte will deliver his third speech on the state of the nation [Sona] on July 23. The investigator returns on the promises he made to Sona 2016 and Sona 2017 and how he and his administration executed these We will also examine the main problems that marked his two years in power in our series # Sona2018.)

President Rodrigo Duterte has reduced his public appearances, made less travel abroad and took advantage of weekends without work

He participated in 493 events between July 1 and June 30, according to the data of the website of the presidential radio-television Malacañang.

During his first year of -old President attended 753 events

He took more weekends in his second year, spending 22 weekends with no public engagement, compared to 14 during his first year .

He had no public events during all the weekends of August last year of February

Fewer trips

The President also traveled less frequently abroad, from 21, including two stopovers, during his first year, to only eight in the second year.

He estimates his trips to 37,307 kilometers in his second year, a big decline of 124,067 km in his first year.

The president, however, is no less controversial.

He fulminates against the Catholic Church, throws sexist and insulting the remarks of the leaders, criticizing the UN Special Rapporteur, Agnes Callamard, as thin and malnourished, and calling the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Fatou Bensouda of "this black woman".

Callamard has repeatedly expressed his concern over the thousands of murders – non-prisoners of war on drugs.

Bensouda announced in February that she had begun a preliminary review of a complaint for crimes against humanity filed against Mr. D Last month, the President made the object Many critics for asking a kiss to a Filipino bride at a gathering of Filipino expatriate workers in South Korea.

& # 39; Stupid God

The incident was followed by a more serious mistake – the "stupid" call of God ", which sparked outrage in the predominantly Christian Philippines.

According to Carmel Abao, an assistant professor of political science at Ateneo de Manila University, the president, who is infamous for his colorful language, asserts his personality and individuality to the detriment of the presidency.

The president, she said, is supposed to embody the presidency, a public institution that adheres to the norms guided by the Constitution.

"In this sense, the presidency is much more important than any president.The presidents come and go but the presidency [remains]," said Abao in an interview by e-mail

" A president should always exercise restraint – because the presidency demands it – but President Duterte simply says what he means, all he wants to do. on the other hand, is not supposed to be rooted in personal preferences, let alone in personal quirks, "she said.

With only four weekends of work during his second year, the president, unlike the controversies the administration, had been able to rest

"I am old"

November, the president had to go home to Davao to rest after a week filled with events, including the President of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean ) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Malacañang

At a press conference after the summit in Asean, the president complained of a lack of sleep. "

" Maybe I'm [awake for] 4 pm, 5 pm, "he said.

He also spoke frankly about being exhausted after the summit meetings.

" I am old, "he admitted a point.

The president is known to have back problems and migraine sufferers He said that he is suffering from Barrett's esophagus, which affects his throat, as well as Buerger's disease, which can cause an arterial blockage. – With reports Isabel Cañaveral, Celine Dioticio and Chlarine Gianan

Do not miss the latest news and information.