Marcos admin open to suggestions from OVP —Palace

Malacañang on Thursday said that the Marcos administration has remained open to the suggestions of the Office of the Vice President.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked for comment on the statement of OVP spokesperson Ruth Castelo that not supporting Vice President Sara Duterte by not funding her office’s projects and programs is a “great disservice” to the country. 

She said President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. is not closing his door to the Vice President.

''Para po on the part of the Palace, welcome po kung anuman po ang suhestiyon na makabuluhan, magandang suhestiyon na magmumula sa OVP. Hindi po ito tinatanggihan at hindi po sinasara ng Pangulo ang pintuan sa Bise Presidente,'' Castro said.

(On the part of the Palace, we welcome any good suggestions of the OVP. The President does not close his door to the Vice President.)

''Lahat po ng maaari suhestiyon na makabuluhan ay tatanggapin po iyan kung ito naman po ay makakatulong sa taumbayan,'' she added. 

(All worthy suggestions are welcome, especially if these will help the nation.) 

Formula?

She said it was the Vice President who had mentioned that she knows how to lower the price of rice, but she refuses to share it with the government. Lowering the price of rice to P20 per kilo is among the priority projects of the Marcos administration.

''Tandaan po natin, mismong si Bise Presidente ang nagsabing siya raw po ay mayroon formula or alam para maipababa ang presyo ng bigas pero ayaw niya pong i-share sa gobyerno at sa administrasyon dahil ayaw niyang tulungan ang Pangulo,'' Castro said.

(It's the Vice President who said that she knows how to lower the price of rice, however, she doesn't want to share this with the government and the administration because she doesn't want to help the President.)

''So, hindi po nanggagaling sa Pangulo o sa administrasyon na ito ang pagharang sa kaniyang mga gustong gawin para sa taumbayan. Unang-una po ay handa pong makinig ang Pangulo sa anumang kaniyang suhestiyon na may kabuluhan,'' she added.

(So, preventing the Vice President from doing what she wants to do for the nation does not come from the President. The President is ready to listen to her suggestions.) 

The Vice President had branded the P20 per kilo of rice as a false promise. —VAL, GMA Integrated News