Duterte Leaves Davao for Inauguration as 16th President of the Philippines

Davao City — Davaoeños’ most revered leader, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, left Davao late afternoon Wednesday on board a private plane for his oath-taking as the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines tomorrow, Thursday.

Duterte, the first Chief Executive from Mindanao among the Philippine presidents coming from Luzon (13) and Visayas (3), will be sworn into office by Supreme Court Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes, his “brod” at San Beda College’s Lex Talionis fraternity.

Under the law, Duterte will officially take his oath by 12 noon on June 30 at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall in Malacañang with over 600 invited guests including diplomats. After his oath-taking, Duterte’s first act as President will be to swear in the members of his Cabinet then meet with the diplomatic community in the traditional vin d’honneur.

Those invited from Davao including the city officials who left Davao Wednesday morning.

Rise to politics

Duterte made his mark in the political arena as the OIC-Vice Mayor of Davao during the revolutionary government of Corazon Aquino, who initially offered the post to the late Soledad Duterte, Duterte’s mother. He was then a fiscal.

In 1988, Duterte ran for mayor pitting against the late Zafiro Respicio, who was the OIC-Mayor under Cory’s administration. And the rest was history. Duterte remains undefeated in any elections.

Duterte served Davao City for 22 years, two nine-year term as mayor, one term as vice mayor and one term as congressman.

Presidential bid

Duterte was a reluctant presidential candidate. Since last year, many people believed that he was gunning for the presidency for leading a nationwide Listening Tour on Federalism. Even until he filed his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) for Mayor in October, many of his supporters still see him as the potential presidential candidate. On December 8, he finally withdrew his COC for mayor and ran for president.

It was bumpy road for his campaign. Some quarters filed petitions to disqualify him as presidential candidate. He drew ire for his comment on Pope Francis in relation to a traffic incident. Duterte apologized to the Pope, who surprisingly replied to Duterte’s letter through Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles.

During the last few weeks of the campaign period, he was accused by Senator Antonio Trillanes of keeping 11,000 ghost employees at City Hall and having hidden wealth of several properties and bank accounts.

Duterte said that if he could turn back time, he would not decide to run for president.

He admitted he was facing too much pressure – the greatest he said were from the outside – Cebu and Metro Manila.

He said he was not decided that day – October 16.

“Wala koy governor, mayor outside of Davao supporting me except a few. Bilang lang sa kamay ko ang sumuporta sa akin na tagalabas (I have no governor, mayor outside of Davao who are supporting me except a few. I can only count in my fingers those are are supporting me who are outside),” he said.

But he seeing the throng of people during his political rallies especially in Luneta, Duterte said he saw it coming. “Crowds have become wild – not only applause but shouting – so I thought I would win,” he added.

Despite advises from close allies to be “prim and proper”, Duterte he did not change, saying, “people must have to accept me for what I am”.

Duterte’s campaign is anchored on his promise to fight illegal drugs, criminality and corruption.

His campaign team drew up plans aimed at stamping out crime and corruption, lifting the people’s living standards, raising the economy to benefit the many, make government relevant and responsive to the needs of the people, bring peace at home and help build peace among the community of nations.

Revered leader

For two nine-year terms, Duterte, every Wednesday, would accept people visiting his office to seek assistance, and for courtesy visits. He sometimes held meetings with department heads in complete attendance or separately if he wanted to have a quick-fix of a problem.

He spends more time visiting people in the countryside, hearing their problems, addressing barangay disputes or even celebrating with people during the barangay fiesta or founding anniversary, or meeting police and military officials deployed in New People’s Army (NPA) strongholds.

While he does not micro-manage, Duterte sees to it that his directives are implemented and followed. He holds the office chiefs accountable if complaints reach him.

Duterte has initiated programs and projects that restored law and order and lifted the city’s economy over the last 20 years.

Davao City is the only local government unit with deputy mayors representing the different Muslim tribes and Lumads. Duterte instituted this practice since his first term as mayor, seeing to it that Muslims and Lumads are represented in the governance.

The city government has also instituted the Madrasah Schools for Muslim children, Lingap Para sa Mahirap program, scholarship for poor but deserving students, feeding program. Duterte likewise sends Muslims to Mecca pilgrimage.

Among his biggest legacy to Davaoeños is the Emergency Central 911 and the Public Safety and Security Center, a state-of-the art emergency communications and response center which links the residents needing assistance with the emergency resources of the government like the police, firefighters, medical workers, and rescue services.

The Davao City Investment and Promotion Center (DCIPC) started during his mayorship, giving importance to marketing and offering incentives to investors and creating jobs for Davaoeños. DCIPC was a product of the work of the socioeconomic team he formed in the early 1990s.

To date, the city is known for its success in the effective implementation of the Anti-Smoking Law, the Women’s Development Code, Children’s Code, Speed Limit, ban on mining and the local reproductive ordinance, particularly on the “No Scalpel Vasectomy” for which the city is slowly gaining success. (PNA) LAP/LCM/LDP