Malacañang on Tuesday pushed back against a political ad featuring Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Imee Marcos that paints the Philippines in a bleak light, saying the depiction of a “dark” nation is more reflective of the previous administration than the current one.
Speaking at a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro defended the government under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., saying that while his leadership is not perfect, it works to steer the nation towards a brighter direction.
“The ad says, ‘itim ngayon ang kulay ng bansa; sa gutom at krimen nagluluksa’ [The country is draped in black, mourning due to hunger and crime]… That description fits more with the past administration. Today, while not yet perfectly white, we are headed toward the light,” Castro said.
Asked to describe the administration’s color metaphorically, Castro responded: “We’re heading toward white. Not quite there yet, but moving in that direction.”
Moreover, the PCO official cited that criminality and hunger rates are lower compared to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
When asked whether Mr. Marcos had reacted to the ad—which involves both the Vice President and his sister—Castro said the President disapproves of negative and misleading political messaging.
“Our President does not want this kind of negative campaigning, especially if it involves fake news. Even before, the President has already said that we should fight against fake news. It’s even worse if this is turned into a narrative in a campaign,” Castro said.