President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday praised Health Sec. Francisco Duque III for leading the country's COVID-19 pandemic response despite resignation calls over the past two years.
It was a "sacrifice" for Duque to stay in his post, Duterte said as he hailed the health chief for doing "good" in his work. The incumbent president has roughly five months left in office.
"Now, I’d like to just say something, kaunting ano lang, that you have done good sa trabaho mo and the Filipino will never forget that," Duterte told Duque in footage of the meeting aired Tuesday.
"It is a sacrifice really for you to continue doing it and I had to ask you several times to stay --- to stay on the job because we need you," he added.
Duque has faced several calls to resign for alleged lapses in the government's handling of the pandemic. President Duterte however has repeatedly defended Duque, saying the health chief has done nothing wrong.
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