BANGKOK, Thailand – President Rodrigo Duterte has only one birthday wish when he turns 72 on March 28: to have enough strength to pull off the strenuous work of being Chief Executive.

“So my wish really, my prayer to God is that he give me a bit more strength to do our – overwork time, because it is needed. Twenty-four hours is not really enough for the presidency, unless you want to sleep more than just about 4 hours,” he said in a news conference upon his arrival from an official trip to Thailand early Thursday, March 23.

“I only ask God that [he] give me a little bit of time, a little strength to surmount the problems of the country and that I’d be able, not really to solve, but maybe mitigate some of the rigors of governance and the problems,” he added, in response to questions on his birthday wish.

Duterte, the oldest person to become Philippine president, had often complained about the long hours that come with his job and the piles of documents he had to read every day.

“If you ask if I am inordinately happy to be President, I’ll tell you, I do not need it at this time of my life,” he would often say.

Birthday plans

If he will have his way, Duterte would like to spend his first birthday as president in the company of family, in particular, with his new grandson Stonefish Carpio, youngest son of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

“I would be very glad to spend my time with my newest grandson Stone and the rest of my children and grandchildren. That would have been the greatest gift that I can ask in this planet,” he said.

When he was Davao City mayor, including last year when he was running for president, Duterte spent his birthdays at home, resting.

“I’ll sleep the whole day. That’s the tradition. I have never celebrated a birthday in my life,” he said last year, days before his 71st birthday.

As to material things and accollades, Duterte said he has no need for them now as he has reached “the apex of anybody’s dream.”

Elected partly because of his populist appeal, he asked people not to give him expensive gifts. 

“If you have something for me, some are very expensive, you know, I do not need it anymore. And even if you give me a diamond for every finger, I cannot wear it. Otherwise, I’d be stupid, and even watches and all,” he said.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was among the first leaders to wish him a happy birthday. Duterte said the Thai leader even presented him with a birthday cake during the official dinner the latter hosted in his honor in Bangkok. – Rappler.com