Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque clarified Wednesday his recent remark that Filipinos already spent almost one year of “vacation” due to the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roque made the statement amid criticisms of President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to make traditional holidays on Nov. 2, Dec. 24, and Dec. 31 special working days to revive the economy.
“Napakatagal na po nating nakabakasyon, halos isang taon na tayong nagbakasyon dahil sa COVID-19,” Roque said in an online briefing on Tuesday.
“Siguro naman po, ngayong andito na ang bakuna, hayaan naman nating maka-recover tayo for lost time.”
(We have been on vacation for too long, we have been on vacation for almost a year because of COVID-19. Perhaps now that the vaccine is here, allow us to recover for lost time.)
The Palace official’s statement drew flak from the public. Roque explained his remark was taken out of context and that the “vacation” he was referring to was the unemployment caused by the pandemic crisis.
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Roque clarifies ‘1-year vacation’ remark
“Ang konteksto lang nito, talagang maraming tao ang hindi nakapaghanapbuhay dahil dito sa pandemiyang ito. Kaya nga ninanais ng economic team na makahabol naman tayo, at iyon po ang konteksto na aking sinabi,” he said in a media interview.
(The context of this is many people are not able to work because of this pandemic. That’s why the economic team wants us to catch up, and that is the context of what I said.)
“Hindi naman po talaga bakasyon ‘yan, kung hindi, hindi nakapagtatrabaho. Kaya ngayon na pupuwede na po tayong makapagtrabaho sana dahil nagbubukas na tayo ng ekonomiya, hayaan naman nating kumita at makapagtrabaho ang ating mga kababayan,” he said in a media interview.
(That is not really a vacation, but rather, failure to earn a living. Now that we can work because we are reopening the economy, let us allow our compatriots to earn and work.)
Under Labor Code, only December 31 is considered as a special nationwide holiday while November 2 and December 24 were not special non-working holidays under existing laws.