MANILA — Malacañang pushed back against Vice President Sara Duterte’s criticism of the country’s rising debt, saying the Marcos administration inherited massive obligations from the administration of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

In a report, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro made the remarks in an ambush interview on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu.

“Kung meron tayong mga pagkakautang, ito ay normal naman sa ibang bansa para maibigay na tulong sa ating mga kababayan,” Castro told reporters.

(If we have debts, that’s normal for all countries in order to provide assistance to their countrymen.)

Castro said the current administration merely inherited a large debt burden accumulated during the Duterte administration.

“At tandaan po natin, lumaki ang utang hindi po sa panahon ngayon lamang. Lumaki ang utang dahil namana po ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. ang napakalaking utang na nakuha ni dating pangulong Duterte at ito ay napabayaan ‘di umano dahil sa mga pang-aabuso sa Pharmally at sa mga ghost projects noon ng Build, Build, Build,” she added.

(And let’s remember, our debt did not just grow recently. The debt grew because President Marcos Jr. inherited the huge debt that former President Duterte acquired and this was neglected allegedly because of the abuses in Pharmally and the ghost projects of Build, Build, Build.)

Vice President Duterte earlier criticized the Marcos administration during an interview in The Hague, Netherlands, where she raised concerns over unemployment and the country’s growing debt.

She said the government was failing to focus on governance and was instead preoccupied with critics and political attacks.

Data released by the Bureau of the Treasury recently showed that the country’s outstanding debt reached a record high of P18.49 trillion at the end of March 2026. The amount was 1.81 percent higher than the P18.16 trillion recorded at the end of February.

Duterte said the increase in debt was expected “because the entire administration, especially the President, is not working.”

In response, Castro defended President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., saying he continues to actively perform his duties, particularly during the ASEAN Summit.

“Hindi niya alam ang nangyayari, kung ano ang tinatrabaho ng Pangulo. Kita ninyo naman po, kayo nandito ngayon for the ASEAN Summit, ang Pangulo po ay nagta-trabaho,” Castro said.

(She doesn’t know what’s going on, what the President is working on. As you all can see, those who are here today for the ASEAN Summit, the President is working.)

Castro also contrasted Marcos’ participation in the summit with Duterte’s stay abroad.

“Abalang-abala ang Pangulo sa ASEAN Summit. Ang mga concerned agencies at concerned departments ng ehekutibo ay nandito para magtrabaho. Samantalang ang Bise Presidente, nandoon po sa ibang bansa at nagbabakasyon. So, wala po siyang naitutulong ngayon sa ASEAN, at wala po siyang nagiging trabaho,” she added.

(The President is very busy with the ASEAN Summit. The concerned agencies and concerned departments of the executive are here to work. Meanwhile, the Vice President is abroad and on vacation. So, she is not helping with the ASEAN right now, and she is not getting any work done.)