Duterte says he's OK amid health concerns during SONA

President Rodrigo Duterte said he lost his balance on Monday after someone stepped on his foot.

"Kasi may nakatapak sa paa ko. 'Yong paa ko tinapakan. Masakit pero okay ako. Nakakalakad ako," Duterte said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB after he was asked about the incident on his way to the podium on Monday to deliver his sixth and final State of the Nation Address.

In the video, Duterte was seen bowing to the crowd twice. But after the second one, he seemed to have been thrown off balance as his bodyguards rushed to catch him.

The President then assured the public there was nothing to worry about his health.

"Wala po, sa awa ng Diyos (Thank God, there is nothing wrong with my health)," Duterte said.

He also denied he was rushed to the hospital on Monday night after his SONA.

"Hinatid ako kanina ng helicopter kaya lang maulan. Noong hindi na magamit, nag-by land ako tapos nag-segway dito sa Emperor Restaurant para kumain," Duterte said.

(A helicopter brought me here. But then it rained so I had to go back by land. But on the way, we stopped over to dine at the Emperor Restaurant.)

Earlier in the day, Malacañang assured the public that there is nothing to worry about Duterte's health condition.

"I don't think it's anything to worry about kung ang iniisip ng taumbayan ay ang kaniyang kalusugan (if they're concerned about the president's health)," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview on Unang Balita.

"Parang nadulas lang siya kahapon (It seemed like he just slipped yesterday)," he added.

Roque said that the 76-year-old Duterte, despite being a senior citizen, has no "extraordinary problem."

"Alam niyo wala naman po siyang extraordinary na problema. He is who he is, he is a senior citizen, at mukhang nadulas lang naman siya kahapon," he said.

(The President has no extraordinary problem. He is who he is, he is a senior citizen, and he seemed to have just lost his balance yesterday.)

At one point during the chief executive's almost three-hour long SONA, Duterte said he could no longer pronounce the words in his prepared speech correctly and joked about getting COVID-19. He even asked if there was an ambulance on standby. -Ma. Angelica Garcia/MDM, GMA News