Malacañang on Thursday pushed back against Vice President Sara Duterte’s criticism of the administration’s handling of rising prices, with Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro questioning whether the Vice President is fully aware of ongoing government interventions.
Castro emphasized that the administration has been actively rolling out measures to help Filipinos cope with economic challenges, citing a recent UPLIFT committee meeting and a lengthy press briefing where these initiatives were presented.
“Ito ang mahirap sa hindi nag-aaral, nagbabasa, hindi inaalam kung ano ba ang katotohanan,” Castro said, quoting author Gore Vidal: “The brain that doesn’t feed itself eats itself.”
She noted that officials spent nearly two hours detailing both existing and proposed assistance programs, even skipping lunch to complete the discussion.
“Sa oras na iyon, wala man lang ba siyang nalaman, nakita, at narinig kung anu-ano na ang mga programa ng Pangulo?” she added.
Castro’s remarks came after Duterte alleged that public funds were being diverted for political purposes instead of providing relief to Filipinos struggling with inflation.
In response, Castro described the Vice President’s statements as disappointing and suggested they reflected a lack of awareness expected from a high-ranking official.
“Nakakalungkot para sa isang public servant na lumalabas na walang alam,” she said.
She also urged Duterte not to deflect issues of accountability and transparency, pointing out that the Vice President herself is facing controversies.
“Huwag niya pong ipahid ang mga isyu ng accountability and transparency dahil may sarili po siyang isyu ngayon na dapat niyang kaharapin,” Castro added.