MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos is willing to engage with anybody, including Vice President Sara Duterte, for the sake of national interest, a Malacañang official said yesterday.
Presidential Communications Secretary Dave Gomez said that the President has directed his officials to focus on “results, not drama” amid the political noise triggered by the flood control scandal.
In an interview with ANC, Gomez was asked whether Marcos is open to a dialogue with the Vice President, now one of his most vocal critics.
“I heard him say it many times. He is open. He’s open to anybody who would reach out to him for dialogue for the sake of national interest,” Gomez said.
“Sara Duterte remains the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. And the President is open to dialogue with anyone for national interest,” he added.
Gomez assured the public that the government’s investigation into the flood control scandal remains a priority.
“The mood in the Palace is still very much steady and focused. Work has not stopped, not a single day here,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of political noise going on out there, but the President is very clear. We’re dealing with a very serious problem here of flood control and the accompanying scandal that surrounds it.”
Gomez also revealed that Marcos believes his son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, was not involved in the alleged irregularities following a report showing Ilocos Norte was among the biggest recipients of “allocable” funds in recent years.
“The President… said that he believes that so far, there are no allegations of corruption in those projects. But he assured me yesterday that he’s looking into it,” he said.
Galing Pook
In a separate engagement, President Marcos honored outstanding barangays for their exemplary delivery of essential services.
Speaking at the 2025 Galing Pook Awards in Malacañang, Marcos underscored that good governance thrives when objectives are clear and processes remain transparent and accountable.
“Public service begins in the barangay,” Marcos said. “When the government process is transparent, public trust increases; when there is accountability, the respect of the people increases; and whenever we prioritize the welfare of the people, the development of our motherland follows.”
“This is the culture we want to spread in government, this is the public service that the community should feel: honest, open and oriented,” he added.
Among the awardees were Barangay 57 Dap-dap, Legazpi City for reviving the Macabalo River; Barangay Balulang, Cagayan de Oro City for its BUSkwela back-to-school initiative; Barangay Blue Ridge B, Quezon City for its earthquake-preparedness Street Camps and Barangay General Malvar, Santiago City for its solar-power program.
The President also recognized Barangay Daang Bakal, Mandaluyong City for its urban gardens and palit-bote-para-sa-tinapay project; Barangay Naggasican, Santiago City for its clearance-with-a-checklist initiative; Barangay Pantal, Dagupan City for its community justice garden; Barangay Tagas, Tabaco City for promoting sign language training; Barangay Poblacion, South Cotabato for its Dungog Kariton conflict-resolution program and Barangay San Isidro, Makati City for the rehabilitation of Tripa de Gallina.
Each awardee received a Galing Pook marker and a P300,000 cash prize from the DILG-Local Government Academy.
Marcos encouraged other barangays to emulate these practices to strengthen governance nationwide.
“Let us strive to continue to replicate the success of these barangay initiatives on a national scale – learning what works and strengthening the systems that uphold efficiency, participation and transparency in government,” he said.
He also thanked the Galing Pook Foundation for advancing excellence in local governance for over three decades.
Launched on Oct. 21, 1993, the Galing Pook Awards remains a pioneering program recognizing outstanding local government innovations.
Officials from the DILG and partner institutions, including SM Prime Holdings Inc. and Land Bank of the Philippines, attended the ceremony.