(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte won’t be attending this year’s Rizal Day celebration in Manila on Dec. 30, the Palace said on Friday, Dec. 27.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said instead, the President had plans of commemorating other heroes who, unlike Rizal, have not been given specific dates in the Philippine calendar for people to celebrate their heroism.
He said this year, the President was interested in paying homage to General Gregorio del Pilar, who died in the Battle of Tirad Pass during the Philippine-American war.
Last year, President Duterte skipped Rizal Day rites to rest after what the Palace said was “his punishing volume of work and his schedule of activities that includes out of town trips..”
His daughter, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, read his Rizal Day message instead.
