The Palace said President Rodrigo Duterte plans to concentrate ''on managing'' the government's response against COVID-19 after formally withdrawing his senatorial candidacy on Tuesday.

Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Duterte filed on Tuesday afternoon his statement of withdrawal at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from the senatorial race in the May 2022 national elections.

"The President believes that withdrawing from the senate race will allow him to better focus on managing our pandemic response in order to sustain the progress we have made in the country and in safely reopening the economy," he said.

"He likewise views this as an opportunity to concentrate on efforts to ensure transparent, impartial, orderly and peaceful elections in May," said Nograles.

"After over four decades in public service, the President plans to retire from government to spend more time with his family when his term ends in June 2022," he added.

It can be recalled that last October, Duterte announced his retirement in politics, before his certificate of candidacy for senatorial race last month.

Duterte was accompanied by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea when he submitted his statement of withdrawal to the Comelec on Tuesday.

A few hours earlier Senator Bong Go filed his withdrawal from the presidential candidacy for the 2022 election. Robina Asido/DMS