Cheers, disgust as Duterte kisses OFW in South Korea
KISS ON THE LIPS. President Rodrigo Duterte kisses an overseas Filipino worker during his meeting with the Filipino community in South Korea on June 3, 2018. Screenshot from PTV video
President Rodrigo Duterte gives an overseas Filipino worker a kiss on the lips as he meets with the Filipino community in South Korea, drawing mixed reactions
MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte ended his meeting with the Filipino community in South Korea by kissing an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) on the lips – a move that drew cheers from the audience but disgust from some netizens.
Duterte first called two female OFWs to join him onstage to receive a copy of "Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics, and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church," a book by the late Aries Rufo, who was a Rappler senior investigative reporter. The President has repeatedly shown a copy of this book to mock the Catholic Church.
Both of the women were visibly happy to meet Duterte, who is in South Korea for a 3-day official visit.
The President bussed one of the OFWs on the cheek, then gestured to the other that he wanted to kiss her on the lips.
He could be heard saying to her: "Dalaga ka? Hindi naman kayo hiwalay? Pero kaya mo sabihin na biro lang ito?" (Are you single? You're not separated from him? But you can tell him that this is just a joke?)
Duterte then kissed the OFW on the lips, and hugged her afterwards, as the crowd screamed and cheered.
Online, however, the response was far from positive. Below are some of the comments on Twitter.
- After the kiss, people were chanting "Duterte! Duterte!"
...
Some people also commented in the post "Ang suwerte naman ni ate."
SUMAKIT ULO KO NG SOBRA
Parang awa niyo na.#DuterteRESIGN. - And even if the woman consented to giving the kiss, Duterte asked for it to mock the church (who has criticized him for his war on drugs). So in this context, she was used as a tool for him to prove a point and affirm his fragile ego. Im sorry guys, women aren't means to an end.
ᵉˡ ᵐᵃʳᶦᵃᶜʰᶦ
The President has a longtime partner, Honeylet Avanceña, with whom he has a young daughter, Veronica or Kitty. He also has 3 children with former wife Elizabeth Zimmerman – Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio, former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte, and Sebastian Duterte.
The President has been denounced for repeatedly making derogatory comments against women. (READ: From 'fragrant' Filipinas to shooting vaginas: Duterte's top 6 sexist remarks)
Malacañang has insisted that the President is "serious" about promoting women's rights, but female advocates are saying that Duterte's actions show otherwise.
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