Cavite governor to Robin Padilla: ‘Don’t waste people’s time by engaging in talk that does not help’

MANILA, Philippines — Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla has urged actor Robin Padilla to not waste the time of Filipinos by engaging in talk “that does not help,” after the latter reacted to his suggestion to have those socially categorized as middle-class included in the government’s social amelioration program.

The governor said he was saddened that Padilla, a known supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, took his recommendation for the Chief Executive in a bad light.

READ:  Cavite governor to Duterte: Include ‘overlooked’ middle class in emergency aid

“Idol, di ko po kayo kaya sa larangan ng action. Matanda na po ako at makunat na ang aking mga buto. Sana po magtulungan na lang tayo. Ako na bahala sa mga tao ko. Ipaglalaban ko sila hanggang kamatayan. But please don’t waste the people’s time by engaging in talk that does not help,” he said in a statement posted in his social media account on Tuesday night.

(Idol, I cannot catch up to you in the field of acting. I am already old. I hope we will just help each other. I’ll be the one to take care of my constituents. I will fight for them till death. But please don’t waste the people’s time by engaging in talk that does not help.)

Remulla said he was merely raising a point to Duterte, stressing that the coronavirus disease does not only affect the poor but even Filipinos with higher economic status.

“People are suffering. They are hungry. They are insecure about what the future brings. The least we can do is to give them hope of surviving another day and give them the sincerity of service that they expect,” he added.

Reacting to the governor’s suggestion, Padilla, in an Instagram post also on Tuesday, said the President knows what he is doing.

He added that poor Filipino families should be prioritized in the government’s cash aid program since they are the most vulnerable to the crisis.

“Sir Governor alam ni mayor PRRD (Duterte’s initials) ang ginagawa niya hindi puedeng sabay sabay sa isang bagsakan dahil limitado rin ang resources ng bansa (Sir Governor, Mayor PRRD knows what he is doing and we cannot provide help to everyone all at once because of the country’s limited resources),” the actor wrote in the caption.

Remulla, however, said it was not his intention to add to the problems of the President.

“Nasa balikat niya ang bigat ng problema ng lagpas isang daan milyon Pilipino. Ngunit di ko rin naman kayang talikuran ang kahirapan sa aming mga lansangan. Kailangan bigyan ng boses ang walang kakayahan pumasok ng malacanang,” he said.

(The President carries in his shoulders the weight of the problem of more than 100 million Filipinos. But I cannot turn my back on the poverty in our streets. We have to give a voice to those who do not have the capacities to raise their plea to Malacañang.)

“I am one with the President as you are. I serve at his pleasure and I am committed to the people of Cavite,” he told Padilla.

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