Countdown for the new government

With only four more days left in the countdown for the new government to take its place, there are mixed feelings about the thought of Rodrigo Roa Duterte as the country’s new president. A few are anxious, some are walking on needles, still others are plotting and finding ways to ingratiate themselves with the president-elect.

The prevailing atmosphere all over the country however is one of hope and anticipation, with most everyone wishing the new administration success in making meaningful changes for the better. In the international scene, or at least from the conversations I had with several ambassadors, there is optimism. They are pleased with their meetings with the president-elect, and see continuing good relations with the Philippines.

The main players are the United States, Great Britain, Canada, EU (minus the UK), Japan, China and Australia. Clearly, our relationship with these nations is extremely important as it also impacts several issues that affect the Asia Pacific region, the most important of which is our security. While president-elect Duterte’s recent comments have been controversial – for instance, asking US Ambassador Philip Goldberg, “Are you with us or are you not with us?” – friends  say it was Duterte’s way to get the US to affirm its commitment as “iron clad” when it comes to protecting this country in case of an attack. This was after all underscored in the 1952 Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the US.

Actually, a visiting Japanese official had intimated to President Duterte that he should not dismiss the United States’ important role in keeping the balance of power in the region. The president-elect fully recognizes that since he appointed former Army major general Delfin Lorenzana as Defense Secretary. Lorenzana has strong connections in the US, having served as military attaché and as Special Presidential Representative for Veterans Affairs in Washington under Gloria Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino.

Foreign Secretary Jun Yasay is fast-tracking his learning curve to rise up to the challenge of maintaining relations with our top ally the US while balancing the situation with China which is trying to solicit support for its illegal occupation of disputed territories in the South China Sea.

While there have been some criticism over Duterte’s dealings with the media – prompting him to say he will no longer give interviews – there continues to be a high level of interest on Duterte and his appointees, with some describing his official family as a “rainbow Cabinet” whose composition comes from “the left, the right and the center.” Overall, majority of Filipinos welcome his appointments and even see some as excellent choices, foremost of which is Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez whom the business community sees as the stabilizing factor. Then there is Transportation Secretary Art Tugade who is faced with the gargantuan task of untangling the traffic mess in Metro Manila which he said has “bastardized” the quality of life for Filipinos, with economic losses now estimated at P3 billion daily. His role will define the new government’s political will in making the changes people have been waiting for.

Other notable appointments include Budget Secretary Ben Diokno whose reputation with the academe is outstanding. Diokno, who was the Budget chief of Joseph Estrada, got the nod of many when he said a big chunk of the estimated P3.5 trillion 2017 budget will go to public infrastructure in rural areas where most unemployed people are located. The business sector also hailed the appointment of Go Negosyo executive director Ramon Lopez as Trade Secretary, knowing his work in promoting micro, small and medium enterprises will help spur economic growth.

The appointment of Paulyn Ubial for the Health portfolio was also met with resounding approval by the health sector because they know her as a public health expert with more than two decades experience with the DOH. Likewise with DSWD Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, a UP professor known for her work on social welfare and advocacy for the rights of women.

The most controversial appointment however seems to be that of Gina Lopez as Environment Secretary. Gina is a good friend and I have always been supportive of her clean air advocacy. ABS-CBN’s Bantay Kalikasan is a testament to Gina’s work in getting rid of air pollution in the country. As DENR Secretary, I really hope she will boost the strict implementation of the Clean Air Act to improve the quality of air especially in Metro Manila.

It is however in the mining industry where a lot of anxiety and contention is being aired over her appointment, but I am optimistic that she will consider the importance of mining, an industry that is vital to the economy. If many mining countries like Canada have been successful in extracting mineral resources in a safe and responsible manner – surely we can do the same with companies adhering to responsible mining practices.

While there are certain areas that Gina strongly believes should be free from mining like Palawan for example – and perhaps she is right – there are also other areas that are suited for mining. Hopefully, she will “look at the forest and not the trees” and recognize the important contribution of responsible mining as opposed to the rapacious destruction wrought by illegal small-scale miners.

While it is hard to predict an out-of-the-box thinker as Rody Duterte, we have to look at the situation in a positive light, seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty. For the next six years, all hopes will be riding on a man who won with a large majority hankering for a better quality of life.

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