President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his first State of the Nation Address. SCREENGRAB FROM RTVM
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday digressed from his speech to assure Filipinos that his administration will be a clean one.
Duterte issued this commitment as he asked Congress鈥攚ith its chambers now led by his allies Senate President Koko Pimentel and聽 Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez鈥攆or emergency powers to ease traffic congestion that is plaguing Metro Manila.
READ: 鈥楪ive Duterte emergency powers to solve Metro traffic鈥�
鈥淜ung gusto niyo ng madalian, nasa inyo 鈥榶an (If you want it done quick;y, it is up to you). If you give it fine, fine. If you don鈥檛 we will take the longer route, slowly,鈥� Duterte said.
He allayed fears that in seeking emergency powers, it would equate to committing acts which would constitute graft and corruption.
鈥淚t is an immediate situation and solution, Gusto niyo madali (you want it fast), OK. Kung ayaw niyo kasi baka (if you do not want it for fear that it might be) graft and corrupt, eh di (it鈥檚) OK. But I assure you wala ito sa script. I assure, this will be a clean government,鈥� the firebrand President said.
Duterte even jested that he would accept opposition from the legislature.
鈥淎nd tanggapin ko 鈥榶ung pagmumura niyo. Huwag lang sa malapit (I can accept your curses, but just don鈥檛 do it to my face),鈥� he joked. IDL/rga
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