MANILA (UPDATE) -- President Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday he plans to call for a final Cabinet meeting to formally bid his officials goodbye before he finally steps down in June.

In a meeting with government officials in Davao, the country's 16th President expressed his gratitude to members of his Cabinet ahead of the May elections and as he winds down his six-year term.

“Salamat, and it has been a very exhilarating atmosphere, joining with you in government. Salamat. Magkita-kita pa rin tayo,” Duterte said at the end of the recorded meeting that aired Wednesday.

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“Yung cabinet, there may be the last meeting just to say hello and goodbye. Salamat po,” he added.

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In the meantime, Duterte will just continue with his work as he still has a number of "unfinished business", including the campaign to end the communist insurgency, the country's recovery from the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensuring a clean, fair and honest election in May, said Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.

In a public briefing Wednesday, Andanar, who serves as acting presidential spokesman, said Duterte will be in Cebu on Thursday to attend a campaign rally of his political party, the PDP-Laban, and meet with the regional task force against communist armed conflict.

Duterte earlier said that he is already making preparations to finally move out of Malacanang to make the transition easier for his successor after the elections.

Asked to identify the greatest legacy of the Duterte administration, Andanar said, "Palagay ko, ang greatest legacy ni Pangulong Duterte ay ang pag-una sa interes ng mga mamayang Pilipino, lalong lalo, ng mga mahihirap na kababayan natin. At dahil iyan sa tapang at malasakit na liderato ni PRRD."

(I think the greatest legacy of President Duterte is his prioritization of the interest of the Filipino people, especially the poor. And this is because of the courageous and compassionate leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.)

Critics of the Duterte administration have consistently voiced concern about alleged human rights violations in the government's anti-narcotics campaign and its so-called appeasement policy on China amid the maritime row in the South China Sea, among other issues.

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The President, who just turned 77 last Monday, is not running for any public office in the 2022 national polls, after withdrawing from the senatorial race last year.

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