Malacañang fired back at Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday, accusing her of politicking while abroad instead of working.

“She should take a long look in the mirror and ask herself — is she working, campaigning, or just on vacation?” said Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro.

“Nasaan si VP Sara nang sinabi niya ’yan? Nasa The Hague. At hanggang kailan siya roon? Hanggang 23 July. Tandaan natin: ang Pangulo, aksyon — hindi bakasyon. (Where was VP Sara when she said that? In The Hague. And how long will she be there? Until 23 July. Let’s remember: the President is about action — not vacation),” Castro said.

Castro’s remarks were in response to Duterte’s recent jab at President Marcos, urging him to “stop politicking” and focus on governance.

In a press briefing, Castro emphasized that the President is focused solely on fulfilling his mandate ”to serve the Filipino people,” and expects the same of all public servants.

“President Marcos Jr. knows where he’s headed. He knows what needs to be done, and that’s exactly what he expects of all public servants — especially those under the executive branch. His directive to us is clear: work hard and stay away from politicking,” Castro said.

She said the President does not waste time on distractions and is committed to delivering results. “Work is the only thing on his mind,” she added.

BBM acts vs online gambling addiction

In the same briefing, Castro said the Chief Executive is exploring stronger measures to address the rise of online gambling addiction, expressing sympathy for families affected by the scourge.

“The President sympathizes with families victimized by this kind of gambling, especially when loved ones become addicted,” Castro said.

She said the government is intensifying its campaign against illegal gambling and online fraud, citing the recent arrest of four Korean nationals by the Bureau of Immigration for unauthorized gambling operations.

Among the proposals under review is a Department of Finance (DoF) initiative to raise taxes on online gambling platforms.

“The President is reviewing the DoF’s proposal to ensure better policies on online gambling,” Castro said.

She added the government is also considering regulations on social media influencers who promote gambling content.

“All these will be thoroughly studied to ensure proper direction and sound judgment,” she said.

Fully subsidized healthcare eyed

Meanwhile, the President said the government is working toward the long-term goal of fully subsidized healthcare for all Filipinos — doing away with out-of-pocket hospital expenses.

“We’re expanding PhilHealth’s insurance coverage and enhancing its services,” Marcos said.

He expressed the hope that once the economy strengthens, PhilHealth members would eventually pay only minimal administrative fees — or nothing at all.

“We’re lowering patient costs. Right now, they still pay something when they get treated. But we’ll gradually reduce that,” he said.

“That’s our goal. While the system isn’t fully capable yet, we’re working on the budget to speed up improvements,” Marcos added.

Speaking at the turnover of 387 patient transport vehicles (PTV) at Quirino Grandstand in Manila, the President said the administration is not only enhancing emergency response but also upgrading the country’s healthcare system.

“That’s why we will continue strengthening not just the number of transport vehicles, but our entire health system, our entire healthcare system,” he said in Filipino.

He cited ongoing efforts to improve public hospitals, build specialty centers, and expand the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) network for non-emergency cases.

Marcos said the government aims to eventually eliminate patient payments, similar to universal healthcare systems abroad.

“If we can do it — if we manage to fix our economy well and we’re already capable — then maybe we can reach a point where patients won’t have to make any contributions at all,” he said.

“Maybe just like in other places I’ve seen and experienced, it’s only the administrative cost. That is the aspiration,” he said.

He acknowledged that current resources aren’t enough to fully fund such a system but assured that the government is realigning priorities to make it happen.

The PTV turnover marked the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s largest single-day distribution. An additional 123 units will be sent to the Visayas and 105 to Mindanao later this week.