Getting to know president Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte, who garnered close to 16 million votes in the May 9 national elections, undoubtedly emerged victorious in the presidential race. Duterte is the first politician who jumped from a mayoral seat to the presidency. Upon his inauguration earlier today, he is the first Philippine president from Mindanao.

Duterte has been in the limelight even before he announced that he was running for the highest government position in the country. He has constantly been under fire for his controversial remarks, which have even caught the attention of international media and rulers of other countries.

The LaSallian presents President-elect Duterte’s stands on a number of issues, as well as his appointees for his cabinet and other government positions.

On curfew

• Will introduce a 2 am curfew for drinking places, and strict 10pm – 1 am curfew for unescorted minors.
• If children were picked up on the streets, their parents would be arrested and thrown into jail for “abandonment”

On drugs

• P5 million reward when one captures a dead drug lord and several thousand pesos if alive. A medal will be given to whoever shoots and kills resisting drug dealers.
• Plans to arm selected people in each barangay with knowledge on firearms and law enforcement.

On traffic

• Proposes to build a train to and from Metro Manila. He promises to buy 30-50 more train carriages to accommodate all commuters, transfer the Manila port to Luzon to avoid truck congestion, and make use of Clark International Airport as the alternative airport.

On internet and connectivity

• Will invite foreign investors to enter the market.
• Has ordered the telecommunications companies to upgrade internet services.

On family planning

• Plans to make artificial birth control methods available.

On crime solutions

• Reinstates death penalty through hanging and gives the police shoot-to-kill orders.
• Wants capital punishment to be reintroduced to crimes particularly drugs, rape, murder and robbery.

On gun licenses

• Proposes that he will allow licenses issued under stringent conditions for shotguns and short rifles excluding heavy firearms.

On the economic agenda

• Will continue President Benigno Aquino III’s macroeconomic policies, focusing on higher infrastructure spending through addressing bottlenecks in the public-private partnership program and fiscal efficiency.
• Will address the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution to attract foreign direct investments.

On the West Philippine Sea

• Will hold bilateral talks with China and fight for the country’s territorial rights.

On K-12

• Although he was previously against the program, he has stated that it is necessary for Filipino students to be at par with students in other nations.

The appointees

• Executive Secretary – Salvador Medialdea
• Presidential Spokesperson – Salvador Panelo
• National Security Adviser – Hermogenes Esperon
• Cabinet Secretary – Leoncio Evasco Jr.
• Solicitor General – Jose Calida
• Peace Process Adviser – Jesus Dureza
• Presidential Assistant for Visayas – Michael Dino
• National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) chief – Ernesto Pernia
• National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) chief – Ricardo Jalad
• National Bureau of Investigation – Dante Gierran
• Philippine National Police chief – Ronald Dela Rosa
• Bureau of Customs – Nicanor Faeldon
• Bureau of Immigration – Jaime Morente
• Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chief – Martin Delgra
• Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief – Isidro Lapeña
• National Intelligence Coordinating Agency chief –  Alex Monteagudo
• Bureau of Immigration and Deportation chief – Jamie Morente
• Armed Forces of the Philippines chief – Ricardo Visaya
• Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation – Andrea Domingo
• Department of Interior and Local Government(DILG) undersecretary – Catalino Cuy
• Duterte appointed the following as Secretaries. 
• Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – Perfecto Yasay Jr.
• Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) – Arthur Tugade
• Department of Finance (DOF) – Carlos Dominguez
• Department of Agriculture (DOA) – Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol
• Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Mark Villar
• Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) –  Silvestre Bello III
• Department of Energy (DOE) – Alfonso Cui
• Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) – Rafael Mariano
• Department of Justice (DOJ) – Vitaliano Aguirre
• Department of Interior and  Local Government (DILG) – Mike Sueño
• Department of Education (DepEd) – Leonor Briones
• Department of National Defense (DND) – Miguel Delfin Lorenzana
• Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) – Judy Taguiwalo
• Department of Budget and Management were (DOBM) – Benjamin DIokno
• Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – Fortunato dela Peña
• Department of Trade and Industry – Ramon Lopez
• Department of Tourism – Wanda Corazon Teo
• Department of Health – Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial

As of press time, the secretaries for the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have not been named.