PRESIDENT Duterte should devote the last year of his presidency in uniting the country and doing away with profanities and bravado amid the economic and health crisis brought about by the pandemic outbreak, according to a Catholic bishop.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, national director of Caritas Philippines, issued the call following the President's sixth and last State of the Nation address (SONA), saying that Duterte should not miss the chance proving that he is the 'father of the nation.'

'It won't make any difference now to the lives of the Filipino people even if he gives marching orders to pass his priority legislations, or even to retract his socio-economic policies,' Bagaforo said.

'It will matter, however, if, at least, for what remains of his term, he will show decency and integrity,' he pointed out.

Fr. Antonio Labiao, executive secretary of the national Caritas, echoed the bishop's statement and urged Duterte to be a unifying leader, especially amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

With less than a year left, Labiao said that Duterte 'needs to focus his energy in uniting the country as we still grapple from the devastating effects of the pandemic.'

'We urge the President to take a time off from bravado and profanities,' Labiao added.

The Church has been one of the constant recipients of Duterte's tirade over the years for sharply criticizing his administration, particularly its war against drugs.

The government's war on drugs, which has claimed thousands of lives, has been the bishops' favorite topic ever since the President launched it early in his presidency.

In one of his biting remarks, the President called the bishops and priests as a bunch of hypocrites and even enticed them to try 'shabu' to better understand what the country has gotten into because of illegal drugs.

Duterte has also accused priests as womanizers and even taking wives despite their oath of celibacy, adding that there were priests with two to three wives.

According to Duterte, the bishops have no moral ascendancy to criticize his administration because they cannot even police their own ranks.

In response, the Church admitted the immorality of some bishops but stressed that 'the fault of some should not be blamed on all.'

The Church also stressed that it neither condones nor sanctions any wrongdoing by any bishop or priest.