Video courtesy of PTV/RTVM

Malacañang on Tuesday said it saw no problem with President Rodrigo Duterte's national addresses meant to discuss the COVID-19 crisis airing in the wee hours, over 500 days into the varying degrees of the Philippine pandemic lockdown.

Duterte's weekly "Talk to the People" on Monday started airing close to midnight and ended at around 2:30 a.m., when many people were already asleep.

"Wala naman pong problema maski ma-ere ‘yan ng gabi kasi kinabukasan, niri-replay po ‘yan ng PTV-4," the President's spokesman Harry Roque said, referring to the government's television network.

(There is no problem with that because even if it airs late, it is replayed by PTV-4.)

Duterte in Monday's speech scored the Commission on Audit for flagging "deficiencies" in the health department's use of some P67 billion in COVID-19 funds. He discouraged Health Secretary Francisco Duque III from resigning.

• 'Pure bullshit': Duterte says COA-flagged DOH funds not stolen
• 'Wala kang ginawang masama': Duterte says he'll reject Duque resignation

The President also tackled China's delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines.

• Duterte says no strings attached to Chinese COVID-19 vaccines, 'except their boats are there'

In May 2016, before being sworn in as the country's 16th president, Duterte said his official schedule would start at 1 p.m.

“My day starts at 1,” Duterte told reporters then, adding in a joking tone, “Wala akong pakialam sa 8 to 5 ninyo.”

• Duterte: President’s day starts at 1pm

Late last year, he said his day typically "starts at 2 o'clock in the afternoon" because he is a "night person."

• 'I am a night person': Duterte accuses Robredo of 'lying' about his whereabouts
• 'Nasaan ang Pangulo?' Duterte says his day starts at 2 p.m.