MANILA – The Malacañang said on Sunday that as President Rodrigo Duterte celebrates his 77th birthday today (March 28), all he wants for his birthday is a “clean, fair, and honest” election on May 9.
“His birthday wish for this year is to have a clean, fair, and honest election in May 2022, as he has time and again underscored the importance of a peaceful transfer of power as part of his enduring legacy,” Acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said in a press statement.
In a US-led Summit for Democracy on Dec. 10, 2021, Duterte stated that it would be “his highest honor” to turn over the reins of power to his successor knowing that he did his best to serve the Filipino nation.
Duterte earlier said that he had started packing up his belongings in Malacañang and was looking forward to turning over the leadership of the country to his successor in June.
More than 65 million Filipinos are expected to vote on May 9 to decide the fate of national and local candidates. This will be the first-time elections that will be conducted in the event of a pandemic.
Meanwhile, Andanar wished Duterte good health in both mind and body.
“Our prayer for the Almighty is to continue giving the President good physical and mental health in the years to come so he may carry on serving the interest of and bringing betterment to the lives of Filipinos,” he said.
He lauded Duterte for his “strong and decisive leadership” and “genuine compassion” for all Filipinos, saying that these attributes have resulted in “positive and meaningful change” to Filipinos.
According to Andanar, Duterte will celebrate his last birthday as the country’s president the same way he marked the occasion on his first birthday as chief executive.
“President Duterte will mark the occasion with a simple and quiet celebration in Davao City, in line with his family’s tradition,” he said.
Except for his 75th birthday, Duterte has always spent his birthday with his family in Davao City.
Due to Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine imposed to contain the spread of the pandemic on March 28, 2020, Duterte did not have the chance to fly to his hometown.
Duterte was born in Maasin, Southern Leyte, on March 28, 1945.
In 2016, Duterte became the oldest person ever elected to the Philippine presidency, at the age of 71.
