President Rodrigo Duterte’s youngest daughter, Veronica, is getting well after contracting dengue, the Palace said Tuesday.
Veronica was confined to a hospital due to dengue while the President was in Russia for a week-long visit.
“She’s getting well,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said, quoting Honeylet Avanceña, Duterte’s common-law wife and Veronica’s mother.
The 14-year-old presidential daughter posted an Instagram video Monday night showing Duterte and some of her friends with the caption “With Daddy Shark Hahahahahahah.”
The President’s former top aide and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go earlier said that Veronica received shots of Dengvaxia, a controversial anti-dengue vaccine.
Despite this, the Department of Health will still push through with the immunization program against dengue, Panelo said.
“The DOH agenda will resume unless stopped by the President,” he told Palace reporters.
Meanwhile, Go said there is nothing to worry about the health condition of the President.
“Nothing serious about it as it has not progressed and that’s only localized according to his doctor,” said Go, referring to the President’s admission about an illness, which resulted from a nerve malfunction and which the President said he acquired from his grandfather
Duterte talked about his illness during his meet-and-greet with the members of the Filipino community in Russia late Saturday, where he divulged that he has an autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis.
“Yes, kaya napapansin niyo medyo maliit ‘yung isang mata niya paminsan,” Go said.
Senator Imee Marcos said nerve disease in the eyes is very common for the elderly like the President.
“Baka dinadahilan lang nya sa kakasilip, kakapikit. Nakakatuwa si Presidente pero sa palagay ko matibay siya kahit ano,” said Marcos.
She said the President has not been hiding his various illnesses. She believes the President is quite transparent.
“Actually, he is not concealing his illnesses. He tells them at once,” she added.
Senator Francis Tolentino said there is nothing to worry about the President’s health.
“He is a strong as a horse given his hectic grind. He knows how to pace himself though,” he said.
“I am more worried of our young dengue patients, DOH has to double time,” he added.
Senator Joel Villanueva, however, said the nation will always be concerned about the state of the President’s health.
“We hope that his team would update the people about the President’s condition as it deems appropriate,” he said.