PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte made sure that the people of Tabogon, Northern Cebu won’t soon forget about his visit yesterday.

While making a speech in the Tabogon Multipurpose Court yesterday afternoon, President Duterte ordered Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” Go to arrange for the installation of air-conditioning units within the small complex.

Duterte made the order after seeing residents of the town complaining of the heat inside the complex while listening to his speech.

“Ipa-aircon gud ning ilang (gym). Hinaot pa unta nga sa sunod balik nako Bong (Go), at least mogahi sila kadiyot sa katugnaw. Ning yawa, kainit (Have this gym airconditioned. I hope the next time I come here Bong, it will be chilly. Right now it’s so hot),” Duterte said, speaking to Go before 4,000 residents of the town.

President Duterte visited Tabogon upon the invitation of his cousin, Mayor Zigfred Duterte, to attend the town’s annual fiesta in honor of St. Isidore the Laborer.

In a separate interview, the Tabogon mayor said he was surprised by the President’s announcement.

Mayor Duterte told reporters that he didn’t invite the President to ask him for something. He said he just wanted to introduce him to his relatives in Tabogon.

The President and the Tabogon mayor are cousins through their grandparents.

“Wala nako gi-invite siya kay mangayo ko niya, pero isip paryente niya. Duha ra baya mi nga Duterte nga mayor sa Pilipinas. Makaapil sad unta siya sa among festivities ug at the same time, maki-meet niya among mga paryente dinhi (I didn’t invite him to ask for something from him. There are only two Duterte mayors in the country. I wanted him to join our festivities and meet his relatives here),” Mayor Duterte said.

Mayor Duterte said that after the President’s speech, he immediately apologized for the President’s discomfort and the humidity.

But the President told him he was willing to help him and his town, including solving their water problem.

Mayor Duterte said they have been facing problems regarding the sustainability of their water sources and he sought the President’s help to have that fixed.

Residents there were happy to see the President.

Cesario Golbin, 69, a resident of Barangay Taba-ao, endured the humidity inside the town gym just to hear President Duterte speak.

“Nindot ni nga higayon nga makakita na mi og Presidente nga niari sa among lungsod (We finally met a President),” Golbin added.

Around 400 police officers and soldiers were deployed to secure the President. (JKV, JOB)