Palace ready for smooth transition

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang yesterday vowed to cooperate with the incoming administration to ensure a smooth transition and said the next team would inherit a government in good condition.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said there was no formal communication yet from the camp of winning presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte with regard to the transition process, but the Aquino team was ready for it.

“I have indicated our readiness and willingness to work with the incoming administration. I also pointed out that because of good governance, we have done our part in improving the systems, procedures and processes and making this more customer- or citizen-friendly; and our successors will find a strengthened bureaucracy that is steeped in the principles of good management as well as open, transparent and accountable transactions with the general public,” Coloma said.

He added that empowering state employees and other reforms were all geared toward bequeathing or transferring to the next administration a workforce and government that is more capable, responsive and effective in delivering essential services to the people.

Coloma said there was no reason to worry about disruption of services because of the existing corps of dedicated and experienced public servants who had been working in government for decades.

Coloma said all officials who are co-terminous with President Aquino would have to leave by June 30 and that it would be the prerogative of the incoming administration to name its officials.

When it comes to the President, Coloma said Aquino mentioned before that he was ready to provide inputs to his successor if asked because he had long been a public servant.

‘Not the defeat of Daang Matuwid’

Despite the loss of administration standard bearer Manuel Roxas II to Duterte in the presidential race, Malacañang expressed belief that it was not really a defeat for daang matuwid or the straight path policy of the Aquino administration.

“The path of good governance or daang matuwid is already established as all presidential candidates spoke out against corruption and in favor of continuing and expanding present pro-poor programs and pursuing more initiatives to sustain the strong economy and achieve inclusive growth,” Coloma said.

“Daang matuwid may be called different names, but its purpose and spirit will have lasting impact and continue to shape the consciousness of our people and those that serve them in accordance with the principles of good governance and responsible citizenship,” he added.

Aquino said the elections could be considered a referendum on the straight path policy as he pitched for its continuity through Roxas and his runningmate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.

Asked whether the support for Duterte could be considered a protest vote against Aquino and his administration’s failures amid high expectations, Coloma said it would not be fair to generalize or characterize the results of the elections, given the power of each and every Filipino to choose the next president.

In the past six years, the daang matuwid experienced highs and lows, but Aquino said he was grateful for the warm welcome and support he continued to receive from the people even if he was nearing the end of his term.

While enumerating the gains of the administration, he stressed the need for continuity to push for things that were not yet done, given the growth in the economy and infrastructure projects already in place.

Roxas conceded defeat but Robredo was leading the quick count of votes as of press time yesterday.

Seven out of 12 senatorial candidates who ran under the Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid were also winning, including former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director general Joel Villanueva who surprised everyone by battling it out for the top spot with Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Villanueva’s campaign strategy centered on the employment generated by the administration through TESDA. The others in the winning circle are former justice secretary Leila de Lima, former Akbayan representative Risa Hontiveros, Sen. Ralph Recto and former senators Panfilo Lacson and Francis Pangilinan.

CBCP: Church offers vigilant collaboration

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) promised that the Church can offer any government “vigilant collaboration.”

“We will urge our people to work with the government for the good of all, and we shall continue to be vigilant… We may speak out to teach and to prophesy, to admonish and to correct – for this is our vocation,” CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a post election statement titled “Get up, let us go!”

Villegas said several camps asked the CBCP to desist from “interfering” in politics. 

“We cannot. We do not aspire after office and we have sought none. We do not even impose upon the Catholic faithful a set of anointed candidates. But it would be a denial of Christ’s universal lordship were we to desist from reminding his disciples of what fidelity to him – in all things, including political life – demands,” he explained.

“To those who have been voted to office, we assure them of our prayers, principally for wisdom, that they may discern God’s will for his people and courageously do as he bids. Credit then your victory, neither to fame nor popularity, but to God who calls you to service and to care for the weakest and the most distressed in our midst,” he added. – With Delon Porcalla, Eva Visperas