DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte chose to stay home on Monday to celebrate his 71st birthday with his family and to take a rest from his presidential campaign.
“There is no party and that has always been his way of celebrating his birthday,” said Christopher Go, Duterte’s executive assistant and sortie manager.
“He is at home resting.”
Go made his statement even as a party-list lawmaker said he had withdrawn his reelection bid and decided to support Duterte who is running under the PDP-Laban party.
1-BAP party-list Rep. Silvestre Bello III also said he was no longer the first nominee of the 1-BAP which had been renamed 1-Ahapo, a group identified with Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“It is official. I withdrew my party-list nomination to support my longtime friend and classmate Mayor Duterte,” Bello said.
Go said Duterte was relishing his private moments and rest days as he needed a break from his tight campaign schedule.
He said Duterte was preparing for the battle ahead with the campaign period closely approaching its final stretch.
Duterte only recently said he would spend his birthday sleeping.
“I will just be at home sleeping. That has always been my celebration,” he said.
On Sunday, during a service offered for him by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, Duterte said his only wish was for “things to improve in my country.”
“In the Philippines we always pray for food,” he said. “I pray God will provide food for the poor.” Duterte also prayed for the sick.
“Let us remember the sick. I wish we all had better lives,” he said.
On Instagram, Duterte’s daughter Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio posted a photo of her father and her son Stingray. The boy will celebrate his 3rd birthday today, Tuesday.
“#HappyBirthday Digong and Stingray. I wish you good health,” she said.
