Yeah, >> Mr. President, we'll go straight to the Q&A po. >> Yeah. >> Uh, so we'll have Carlo PTV4 for the first question. >> So, Mr. President, what are the major achievements during your attendance in this year's Greek summit achievements for the Philippines and how do you balance geopolitical alignments with other countries like China, Russia, US? Uh many times uh with these things um just the fact that you you have a chat about uh whatever whatever the subject is. Every time that you have that it adds to your understanding of the other person but uh we tend not to talk about pleasant trees. We pretty much we can't help ourselves just go straight to the point of how the floods was the rise where we uh you know what's your policy on this u almost immediately because we know we have very little time so that's where it becomes useful there's you don't you don't sign a treaty because of that but you have a better understanding of each other you have the better understanding of their country what their concerns are um and that's valuable that's very valuable so that in that sense it's It's an achievement. Secondly, the other thing is that um we it's the first time the Philippines has been uh as has attended bricks and again that's a that's a good experience. became in uh as the chair of Azan and which was uh uh we are very grateful again to India for for uh including uh Azan and uh besides that on on the on the uh um purely Filipino uh aspect of it is we met with some companies uh Indian companies that have u uh that some have already put up uh facilities uh in in the Philippines and some have not. But all of them are saying well those that are already there they're saying that they will expand uh their uh they will expand their uh their operation and those that are not yet they have plans to come into the Philippines in various various uh um various sectors. So that that a great deal was done. You have to also remember we uh were I was able to talk to uh to to talk to and meet um the uh some of the leaders that we don't normally meet the leaders in Africa from Latin America who generally don't come to these uh summits at least in this part of the simply because it's so so far. Um so again uh that's that is an advantage because you know it it really boils down when it comes to when it comes to the that level of all your all leaders talking to each other. It's it's important it it just to be able to make the connection so that when you call him on the phone he will answer your call. That's all that's all one once that's that's that's what we all try to to to engage. Uh so at the very least at the minimum level if I need something or have something to talk to you about and I call you you will answer the phone. So again it's that those personal relationships that are very very important. They play they play a very important of course policy and ideology of course are front and center but uh and uh you know cut and thrust of of diplomacy I think the personal the personal relationship plays a big part going into domestic issues with cabinet secret Middle East drivers important measures undertake administration consideration of the Middle East and what Middle The way I approach it, you know, there are certain things now you cannot control, you have no influence over and such as the war in Iran and the prices the sub the volatility of the prices of oil. You can however do something about food. So that's why in the past few days supply and so that is uh yeah that's another thing that I managed to do. I managed to take uh we sat for 20 minutes with the president of Vietnam and we talked about rice and rice importation and talking about a long-term uh a long-term contract. Uh we talked about pricing. We've been talking about this for a long time. uh and so because I am so concerned that uh the food the food prices uh have to come down and we're trying to do everything I also have to credit the LGUs because the LGUs have also uh been of great great assistance to their to their people first as first responders to support and everybody's been pitching in. It's always it's become a very much a whole of government approach. But I think I'm I think I'm right when I say I've never seen national government and local government work so closely as I see it now. But that was intentional. I really always always thought that national and local should work much more closely. So that that that's that's another thing that came out of it. Uh the um we will just continue to to do what we are doing. We are we are reaching many people and we are being able to assist. The new danger now are our seafarers. Filipino. So the chances of a Filipino becoming a casualty, getting hurt or getting killed is is is very much there. U and to we try also to talk to the other countries [laughter] and you know it's it's just it's just the consequence of a war. That's what this is. This is a war. transport workers lower demographic. Uh but beyond that we are doing everything we can to to what we can do to help. We are very very worried about the uh uh the the the peril that some of our seafarers uh find themselves in. I wish them luck. >> Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. It's the fertilizer. But fertilizer found its level again February mark February 28. So fertilizer the supply and the price the price is still higher than it was before but there's sufficient supply uh and uh uh we'll just have to pay the price and then if it needs be we'll subsidize that too. uh but what I prefer to do as much as possible because on in an economic sense it's much more useful is of course you support people when they need your help right but I would rather uh I I think more important is you put them on a footing so that they don't need your support that the but more than anything it's not not not a not a no a lousy a good one, you know, you can go to school or you can that we help them that way. And that's what we're trying to do. Uh [snorts] the the kids of learn the OFWs, we give them scholarships. Whatever we can whatever we can the the the uplift is having a good the uplift program is having a good effect. We see in the stats uh that uh uh those uh that are being reached by these programs are are widenings the the widening uh in terms of who who gets uh uh assistance from the government as the systems become as the the systems of assistance become more established. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Okay. >> Next question from Jervis. >> Happy birthday. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> I will pivot to something more political. >> Okay. >> In 2022, you ran promising Filipinos unity. >> Yes. >> But today, Vice President Sarah is facing an impeachment trial, >> um a charge in a court, and she's the first vice president to be issued an arrest war. >> She's now saying a lot of things against you, including >> a supposed plan of yours against her. >> Uh what are your thoughts about the issues of the vice president? ah you know I hear about them but I don't really even have a response she's very angry with I suppose with what's happening to her and I am the uh target of that anger or the main target of that anger I I what can I do >> next question You cannot force anyone to love you. [laughter] >> GMA7. >> Good afternoon, Mr. President. Happy birthday. Continuing l on the political track, >> uh what is your comment on the arrest of former House Speaker Martin? And how do you respond to critics who say that he is being given special treatment or that his arrest is just part of a drama? God. You see, do you think you talk to to him and see if he feels if he agrees with you? I don't think uh of course, but this this is political, right? It's not really um a comment on what's happening. Uh it's not really a belief that it is in fact drama. It's kind of to put you down basically. So they have to say that. So that's what they're saying. They're not commenting about that's not a comment on on the procedures of uh of court. Uh it's it's just you know another attack. We get them a lot. [laughter] >> Next question from Rafiang Daily >> sir and happy birthday the peso is hovering below 63 Friday and alltime low of 62 68 analyst say the positive economic numbers from economic managers statements are not actually felt by the majority >> and this is a from the balloon 19 trillion. >> So, how's the pilots planning to resolve this contradicting economic numbers? Well, first of all, the um the problem the real problem that's driving all of this is inflation. And what is driving inflation is because if you look if you look there there are several measure there several measures to inflation core inflation does not include fuel and uh and food. Our core inflation is okay. We're down in the mid 2 point some 2 point between two and three. Uh but of course oil fuel and food follows fuel. It's that that's where the inflation comes out out out from. Uh that's why we are trying to do everything that we can to keep prices down. Um that was one of the very first things that we did. But you know you have oil at 100 and because of the the the closure of the straight of form there is no prospect of any new oil. There's constant uh threat to oil supplies because they bombed the pipeline. The Red Sea is also becoming a war zone. So the you know nobody uh wants to do anything. Every everybody is afraid of what's going to happen next. They're not sure of what's going to happen next. Maybe just a select group who know what's going to happen next. Maybe they're just cleverer than us. So they they have uh good information, better information than we do. So that's what's happening in the world in the world now. And then um we actually what happened is is also we have to in we are starting to increase again public spending. So the growth rates uh uh kick up uh and I think that will that will take effect very soon. you will probably begin to see how the public spending because uh I think everyone knows what happened while after la after my sona before last the all the construction uh contracts halted inspection ina is although the releases were made to DPW from the budget DPW wasn't spending That's what that's what happens. So now because usually this time that's why public spending is now but we are only right now we are maybe less than 10% below what we were yearon year if if you took look overall public spending. So that's okay. The peso to the dollar uh this is it's because of inflation because of all the all the all the weaknesses that we are seeing. Unemployment went up uh and that's again because of uh lack of public spending. That's the that's the effect there. So it's at least it's something that we can do something about and are doing something about which is the the the increase we're catching up. We will be if you want to refer to it we will be current in public spending in the next couple of months. Yeah. So we we we should be back to to not normal but we should be we should be more steady. last quarter numbers. >> I hope so. I think so. And they I don't know if you can you can say I think you will see the beginnings of it starting at the very least. I don't promise anything about inflation because again the I I just you know as much as I do about what oil prices are going to do today, right? You watch TV. So do I. That's it. So that's the that's the that's the situation there. Uh yeah, it's it's a it's a tough time. We we have to be very very careful. Oh, you you mentioned the debt. Um I want you what usually you don't um you know when you look at debt and you say it's X trillion dollar whatever it's just a number in in the air. It doesn't it doesn't mean anything. I always remind people the balance sheet has two sides to it. There is the there's the asset side and there's the liability side. If you're going to look at the liability side which is essenti how do you make sure that those two are balanced even or or in the right acceptable balance. Let's just put it that way. Uh in an acceptable balance, right? by just looking at one number or another. You cannot. You must look at the and then its ratios. Our ratios of debt to GDP are fine. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, we are healthier than many many many many other economies. Our are are they ask the financial analyst they they don't know what I'm they I'm sure they understand what I'm talking about. It's those ratios that are important. Yeah. Debt to GDP that's a primary one. So that's uh that's my u my advice on how you can look at both sides of the balance sheet. >> Thank you Mr. President. Okay. We promised them another round Mr. President since there's only four [laughter] of them. >> So we'll ask you again. >> Okay. That's how you do it. >> Mr. Yesterday we've had a meeting with the coalition disaster resilient infrastructure. Yes. And um against 19 2018 investigation building. There there are two um that's very dangerous because uh we cannot uh we cannot if we cannot trust your building materials. else. You cannot trust the building. And so, uh, it's we've looked operation. I don't think this will be that bad, but uh it's bigger than than most people know. >> Mr. message. Well, it's really not up to the contractors. The contractors for the most parts. It's the inspector. You test it. That's for me that's the way to go. and unfortunately but we'll keep looking. We'll keep looking. This not this is very dangerous Mr. President. Um speaking of which is known for being the ground zero Yeah. Field control projects weather Yolanda. uh extreme this is described as extreme weather and this is the weather that the uh climate scientists had been warning us for one generation but nobody listened to them. They said that once the temperature of the water increases by 1.5 or no 1 centra uh you will begin you will begin to see those uh you will begin to see those effects. So now we have climate change, we have heavy rains, we have severe weather. So we have to adjust. Fore and those are that's not easy to do because you know these are their homes. So uh uh those are the things that the measures that we can take but we the real uh not so long-term but uh not so uh is we we're going we're starting to dig basins too highway. So they had to find a way. things like that. Uh and then the the longer scale uh in in time scale that you're thinking of are more of those per up all the way up to the mountains already to the sharades. Uh uh again these pools even now we have already identified five sites uh in Metro Manila. building basin. They'll build on top of it. too big. But we're trying to find ways to use the water again out of the system. We use it for irrigation, use it for household, use it for industry, whatever. Uh so that's really the long-term solution. The first basins will be finished within a year, two years. The the smaller ones, the others may be more. It will take more. It will take more time. uh it's not not it we we have to examine also you but there there are many there are many variables still that so although we've identified those sites it's not sure that those sites will be the ones where those uh those uh systems will be will be made >> thank you s president last two questions uh you first >> sir what's your comment on the supreme court overturning the draft conviction of former first lady in Maros >> well I'm glad uh that uh that case is uh is is over. Uh it's been hanging over our heads for about 40 years. All those cases were filed in 1986. Uh and that's how long it's taken uh for you. And well, of course, I'm happy uh that you know she she doesn't have to be worried about because she does worry that she worry about these cases any any longer. Yeah. Uh I'm I'm glad for especially for my mom. >> Sir, uh follow up. How do you respond to people who are raising concerns over uh this the possible influence of this in your choice of the next chief justice? >> Which one? >> Decision possible implication next chief justice. decide no that that never that seem that's the first time I I made any connection between the choice of chief justice and no that's never been that's never been that will never entered uh our thinking in any way >> thank you Mr. question. So for the last question we have sir this is the most serious question birthday. [laughter] Oh, >> for you for your family and for the nation >> for my well let's do my family first I suppose for my families simply I wish I I wish I saw I saw more of all of you and it's not just my children including the first lady uh our schedules don't match very well we don't see each other that much either I wish I saw I wish I could spend more time with all of you number one for the nation and it's a big wish. I wish I will be able to uh get the beginnings of what we started in place so that they continue. It is it is a it is in in many ways it is a restructuring and I just want to get that the basics of that in place so that it will continue that we will continue to reconstruct the government. We will continue uh to make it better. We will continue down the road of uh uh engagement with other countries. We will uh encourage trade. We will encourage diplomacy. We will always be on the side of peace. That's what I That's what I think about. All right. Thank you very much. That concludes our press. Thank you.