President Rodrigo Duterte will not attend a ceremony to honor national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, on December 30, a regular national holiday, his spokesman said on Friday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told reporters that Duterte is in Davao City and will stay there until New Year.

"He will not be attending the Rizal rites. He will rather go to some place where.. I remember he said last year he would go to (Jose) Abad Santos, place where he was executed," he said.

For Monday's Rizal Day commemoration, Panelo remembered that Duterte mentioned before he would go to the place of another hero, General Gregorio del Pilar, to pay tribute.

He indicated that Duterte's issuance of message on Rizal Day would be sufficient.

"On Rizal Day, he has a statement, I have also my own statement," Panelo said.

Asked if the President would visit areas affected by Typhoon "Ursula," he said, "He (Duterte) did not mention anything, because for him, everything is in place, no problem. All agencies are moving, assisting."

''Ursula'' battered parts of Visayas and Luzon during Christmas holiday, leaving at least 24 people dead. Celerina Monte/DMS