By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA, the Philippines (AA) – Philippines president-in-waiting Rodrigo Duterte and his transition team are in the thick of selecting key officials to compose the cabinet of the new administration that will rule the country for the next six years.
Vowing during the campaign trail to crush criminalities and run after corrupt government officials, the southern Philippines mayor captured the presidency by a large majority of votes May 9.
Spokesman Peter Lavina told reporters at a press conference Friday that six members of the transition team — including himself — are assigned to search for candidates for key positions.
He added that the positions were social services and development, security and peace and order, economic development, judiciary, infrastructure development and government-owned and controlled corporations.
Lavina said that Duterte — who has received international criticism for comments that appeared to trivialise violence against women — looked forward to a gender-sensitive Cabinet similar to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s working team.
“He wanted young people. We are also sensitive on gender issue so hopefully many women will take part in governance. Of course we wanted to ideally follow Prime Minister Trudeau’s cabinet in Canada,” The Philippine Star quoted Lavina as saying.
On winning Canada’s October 2015 election, Trudeau formed an ethnically diverse Cabinet composed of an equal number of men and women. The ministers, 15 men and 15 women, were mostly aged under 50.
Lavina said that the presumptive president — who has celebrated his Muslim/Christian family, and as a mayor represented a complex ethnic and religious mix — plans to have Cabinet members from ethnic groups and social sectors.
He added that Duterte will not announce his new Cabinet until they have decided on the selection.
“We are considering a number of names already but we are not at liberty to disclose them until they are okayed by the presumptive president because some of the candidates may not be interested,” the spokesman said, according to the Star.
Lavina stressed that the Duterte administration is looking for officials with a shared vision, integrity, competence or ability and willingness to sacrifice.
“The best and the brightest throughout the country and our brothers and sisters abroad, OFWs [Overseas Filipino Workers]. Many talents that left the country. If they are willing to return, sacrifice for the next six years, of course we would welcome them,” he said.
The members of the transition committee are Leoncio Jun Evasco, who headed Duterte’s national election campaign, executive assistant and campaign sortie manager Christopher “Bong” Go, former Agriculture Secretary and now businessman and Carlos Dominguez III, personal lawyer Salvador Medialdea, Laviñ, and lawyer Loreto Ata.
Duterte, the 16th president and first from the south, is still not yet officially proclaimed president as the canvassing of election returns is yet to be completed.
