Ed Javier • June 8, 2020
Duque's 'Pa-Wardi-Wardi' Expression sacrificed underlings to save himself
Beleaguered Health Secretary Francisco Duque III found himself in the limelight again last week in the wake of remarks made before President Duterte and which was broadcast by many television, radio and online outfits.
In those same remarks, Duque introduced today’s millennial generation to an expression which may have been last used publicly in the 1970s.
That same expression appears to have revealed an aspect of Duque’s character which many have long suspected about.
Following the use of that expression, we can finally say, now we really know Duque.
The unfortunate statement came after President Duterte called the attention of the Health Department regarding apparent delays in the distribution of the P1 million-assistance to the families of health workers who died while serving at the frontlines during as the Nation faces the COVID 19 challenge.
In more ways than one, Duque’s response to the President’s concern was classic.
Here was how media reported Duque’s now-classic remark:
“Yung ayuda nila na P1 million based on your directive, dapat yun i-release. Ilagay na … tseke … padala … dalhin po sa mga pamilya.
Kasi, nakakahiya talaga, Sir, e.
Namatayan na nga po tapos pa-wardi-wardi yung mga tao ko na parang walang sense of urgency, Sir.
‘Yun ang talagang ang sama-sama po ng loob ko, Mr. President.”
Here’s the gist of what Duque told the President as reported by media:
“The P1 million assistance should have been released per your instruction. I am so embarrassed to say, Mr. President, that my people had no sense of urgency and they attended to their tasks in a ‘pa-wardi-wardi’ manner. This has really hurt my feelings, Mr. President.”
The classic expression used here was “pa-wardi-wardi.” That was a phrase used in the 1970s or earlier. It was used to describe a person or a behavior.
It connoted a lack of a sense of urgency as Duque had correctly explained.
It may also mean nonchalant, wanting in concern, or incompetent as shown by a lack of order or discipline.
The term “Pa-wardi-wardi” must have come from the English word “wayward."
“Wayward” means having no clear direction. It has a more negative meaning: difficult to control because of an unusual or perverse behavior.
In complaining to the President that his health department staff are attending to their urgent tasks in a “pa-wardi-wardi” manner, Duque showed us very interesting aspects of his person.
First, that he is funny.
Second, that he is old and his language, ancient!
Was Duque simply trying to elicit a laugh from the President in using that ancient expression?
That’s possible. After all, that a Secretary would complain to the President – in public – regarding the failure and attitude of his staff is unheard of.
It would be ridiculous in this country to hear the head of a vital line agency making “sumbong” to the top official of the land.
We are sure that the remarks had elicited some guffaw on the part of those present.
There was one more thing the funny remarks using ancient language revealed about Duque.
It may have shown us that Duque could be the kind of official who would be more than willing to sacrifice his underlings in order to save his own skin.
It may have shown us that Duque would not stand up for his people. He must be thinking that everyone else in his department is dispensable, except himself.
Filipinos have a term for this syndrome: “laglag”.
To drop something or someone like a hot potato.
This is ironic.
After all, Duque has experienced the loyalty of his boss, the President. President Duterte had stood by and stood behind Duque many times – even during those occasions when the Chief Executive had been embarrassed by Duque himself.
President Duterte shielded him from public bashing and went out of his way to take responsibility for the questionable purchase of allegedly overpriced protective equipment.
Duque is lucky his President does not make “laglag."
No. Even if Duque may have apparently become too hot to handle like a potato that was just taken off a flaming grill.
Having been described before the President of the Republic as a bunch of “pa-wardi-wardi” beings, Duque’s staff must have lost face before their peers and their families.
Our sources say there is demoralization in the ranks of civil servants in the health department.
Some of them are more than demoralized – they are angry.
Observers noted that in the televised virtual presser after that unfortunate “pa-wardi-wardi” incident, the hardworking Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire actually read the entire remarks made by Duque.
In answering a query texted by a media practitioner, Vergeire noticeably went out of her way to repeat the entire “pa-wardi-wardi” remarks.
She assured the texter that the department had already sent the financial assistance to the families of health workers who died performing frontline duties during the pandemic.
Observers noted that Vergeire did little to hide her resentment over the remarks of Duque which she had just read.
Duque, however, may not have totally gotten himself off the hook with that publicly aired complaint about his own staff.
In describing his co-workers using a term that connoted contempt and disdain, Duque may have unwittingly hinted that he no longer is in total command of his department.
Is it possible that his staff are no longer willing to give their all under a Duque leadership?
Is the “pa-wardi-wardi” mood at the health department a sign of a massive demoralization?
Our view is that the lackadaisical mood is more the result of fatigue.
Contrary to the picture created by Duque regarding the health department staff, we believe that the latter have given their all and had already exhausted all their energies.
The men and women of the health department are tired. They have been in the frontlines, saving lives.
These spent and tired public servants must be lauded, hailed and saluted.
They do not deserve the cruel description given them by their head before the President of this country.
-o0o-
Ed Javier is a veteran communicator with some 30 years of professional experience both in the private and public sectors. He is also an entrepreneur, political analyst, newspaper columnist and broadcast journalist who has served in different media outfits.
