President’s health issues“Since Duterte took office, approved foreign investments have been much lower than previous years,” Leather said, citing Philippine Statistics Authority data on investment promotion agencies’ approvals of foreign-led projects seeking tax incentives and other perks. Leather noted that “if Duterte is either incapacitated or dies in office,” Robredo —who also leads the opposition—will take over as President under the Constitution. Since the presidential campaign in 2016, Mr. Duterte has admitted he had a slipped disc from a motorcycle accident 10 years earlier for which he was taking Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, to dull the pain. Last month he disclosed that he has myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes muscle weakness. The President fell off a motorcycle he was driving at the Presidential Security Group compound also last month.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 16, 2019 21:45 UTC