Malacañang pushed back Thursday against Vice President Sara Duterte’s criticism of the Marcos administration’s economic record, arguing that the country’s current debt levels were largely the result of obligations accumulated under her father’s presidency.
Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, speaking to reporters in an ambush interview in Cebu, framed government borrowing as a standard practice across nations rather than a sign of mismanagement.
“Kung meron tayong mga pagkakautang, ito ay normal naman sa ibang bansa para maibigay na tulong sa ating mga kababayan,” Castro said.
She then pointed directly to the previous administration’s track record as the root of the problem.
“At tandaan po natin, lumaki ang utang hindi po sa panahon ngayon lamang. Lumaki ang utang dahil namana po ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. ang napakalaking utang na nakuha ni dating pangulong Duterte at ito ay napabayaan ‘di umano dahil sa mga pang-aabuso sa Pharmally at sa mga ghost projects noon ng Build, Build, Build,” she added.
The Palace’s response came after new Bureau of the Treasury data showed the national government’s outstanding debt climbing to P18.49 trillion as of end-March, a 1.81% increase from P18.16 trillion in February. The Philippine Statistics Authority separately reported 2.58 million unemployed persons aged 15 and above in March, slightly lower than the 2.66 million recorded a month earlier.
It was these figures that the Vice President seized on while speaking before supporters in The Hague, Netherlands, attributing both the debt growth and unemployment numbers to what she described as a distracted presidency.
“As expected, kasi hindi naman nagtatrabaho ‘yung buong administration lalong-lalo na ang Pangulo,” Duterte said.
She elaborated on the connection she was drawing between executive attention and economic outcomes.
“Ang dapat na ginagawa mo, tinututukan mo iyong trabaho mo. At kapag hindi mo tinutukan iyong trabaho mo, ganyan ‘yung nangyayari. Tumataas ang unemployment, nangungutang tayo ng nangungutang,” she said.
Duterte also took aim at Castro directly, questioning the value of engaging with the Palace spokesperson at all.
“Kapag si Claire Castro ang nagsasalita, huwag niyong pansinin o bigyan ng halaga. Kasi pag pinapansin n’yo, napi-feed ‘yung kanyang papansin na ugali,” she said.
She went further, suggesting Castro’s public statements reflected poorly on the country’s image abroad.
“Ibig sabihin, ‘yung buong mundo na nanunuod at nakikinig para bang mag-iisip sila na parang kawawa naman itong Pilipinas. Kasi ganito ‘yung tagapagsalita,” Duterte added.
On the broader issue of public criticism toward the administration, Duterte said elected officials — particularly the President — should expect scrutiny as part of the role, not react to it.
“Kapag Pangulo ka na, hindi na mahalaga kung ano ‘yung atake sa iyo ng mga mamamayan. Kasi kasama ‘yan sa trabaho mo,” she said.
Duterte also commented on subpoena efforts reportedly targeting personalities aligned with her father, calling those behind such moves overly reactive to ordinary citizens’ opinions.
“Masyadong sensitive ang mga ganyan na mga tao na apektado sa opinyon ng ordinaryong mamamayan — sensitive, insecure and takot,” she said.
