Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte defended his father, President Rodrigo Duterte from critics who raised their eyebrows after the University of the Philippines announced it would bestow an honorary doctorate degree to his father.
Paolo said that is father is not fond with awards and would just normally shrug it off since the President is satisfied with what he had.
“Knowing my father, he does not give a heck to any “honorary degree” simply because he knows he did not work hard for such a degree,” Paolo said.
“He has always been a simple man, satisfied with what he has and works hard to make a difference not just for his family but for the Dabawenyos and now the Filipino nation,” he added.
Paolo said that being elected as the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines is enough recognition for his father and “no other recognition or honorary degrees could eclipse that.”
Addressing his statement to his father’s critics, Paolo said “you can have that honorary degree for all we care.”
He then thanked the UP Board of Regents for considering giving his father an honorary doctorate degree.
Paolo recalled that when they were still young, the elder Duterte would always remind them that knowledge and wisdom must go hand in hand with the degree as they strive hard in their studies.
“Whatever level of education we achieve, the level of knowledge and wisdom we gain must also be at par or even higher,” he said recalling his father’s words.
After UP Board of Regents announced that they will give an honorary degree to Duterte, some students and alumni of the University raised their eyebrows and took on the social media to air their disappointment over the supposed honor that the university will give to the President.
This despite the fact that there is still no finality to the supposed honorary degree that Rodrigo will receive.
During his stint as Mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo has been included in the long list of the World mayors’ award in 2014; however he just shrugged it off saying that he does not need any award for he is just doing his job.
