Davao City—President Rodrigo R. Duterte has set a limit to the country’s representation to climate change conferences to only one, lamenting that en masse travels abroad did nothing good for the country but drain
“The government could not afford to send a big delegation and only allow one representative from the Climate Change Commission to attend conventions as one mouth is enough,” the President made the remarks during the Asia-Pacific Healthy Islands Conference 2018 in Davao city last Wednesday.
The President also said that he has fired 19 high-ranking officials because of travels to participate in such conferences abroad.
The President admitted it pained him to see them go because most of them were his friends and supported him during the election campaign.
“It pains me deeply to see them go,” he said.
He also regretted that many of the top government officials he fired were his close friends.
“I fired a lot. Most of them were my friends who were with me when I was campaigning, and it pains me deeply to see them go,” the President said.
“It makes me sad but you know… Once and for all, we decide. We cannot be going to conventions every now and… I would insist on one representative from the Climate Change Commission, and I will not allow everybody to go out,” he told the audience.
Duterte said he saw the list of some 11 climate change-related travels all over the world “but nothing has been done to my country except expenses”.
“Once and for all we decide…insist one representative from Climate Change Commission, not allow everybody…we need only one mouth. We are not as rich as France. We can afford only to send one and maybe if it is to my liking, join her,” Duterte told participants.
Despite limiting the number of Philippine representatives to climate change conferences or meetings, the President remains committed to supporting all endeavors to make the Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world “a much happier place to live in”.
“To hell with climate change because whether you like it or not, the typhoon is coming from… The Philippines is the window of the Pacific Ocean. So that is how you b*** s*** with the money. You go,” Duterte said.
He said having too many representatives cannot help change the climate, saying “there’s a climate change in Africa and they are there. There’s a climate change in New Zealand and they are there en masse. Then there’s a climate change in Tokyo, they are there.”
“Every department sends somebody who does not even know the definition of a climate and how it changes. How is the process done to create a problem for the ecosystem and environment?” he asked
“You need only one mouth. We are not as rich as France, Great Britain where you can send a delegation. We can only afford to send one and maybe if it is to my liking, I might join her in the trip so that makes two of us, no more..” he added.
In his speech, the President joked that he might join to attend the convention if it is to his liking.
“I might join her in the trip so that makes two of us, no more…I think there’s a very articulate lady somewhere but she’s outside of the country. They say that you know, there’s a lot of issues against her but there’s the same,” he said