Duterte creates transition committees

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has created a committee to ensure a proper and orderly transition to the next administration.

Administrative Order No. 47 signed by Duterte last May 10 formed the presidential transition committee (PTC) and internal transition committees in departments and agencies in the executive branch.

The PTC will be led by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and will be composed of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua, budget department officer-in-charge Tina Rose Canda, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

The Office of the Cabinet Secretariat and the Presidential Management Staff will provide technical and secretariat support to the committee.

“The duly elected president and his incoming cabinet members should be given full support and cooperation by the outgoing cabinet to facilitate their assumption into office,” Duterte said in the order.

“There is a need to create a transition committee that will work closely with the representatives of the president-elect to ensure a proper and orderly transition of government into the next administration,” he added.

Latest partial and unofficial poll results show former senator and presumptive president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his running mate, Davao City Mayor and presumptive vice president, Sara Duterte-Carpio, holding commanding leads over their opponents.

The PTC will serve as the overall and central coordination committee of all entities under the executive department with regard to the transition to the new administration. It will also oversee the preparation and implementation of the transition activities of all state agencies to ensure continuity and maintain the efficiency of government services.

The order also directed all departments, agencies, bureaus, offices and other government instrumentalities to constitute their respective internal transition committees within five days from the effectivity of the order.

The internal transition committees were tasked to oversee the crafting and implementation of systems and procedures for transition to ensure continued operations of their respective departments.

“We will work closely with the representatives of the incoming administration to ensure a peaceful and orderly transfer of power. Since we still have no proclaimed winner, official talks need to be put on hold for the moment,” Medialdea said during a meeting with Duterte and some Cabinet members last Wednesday.

Medialdea assured the public that the executive branch is ready to turn over the government to the next president, but would continue to perform its duties in the coming weeks.

Duterte said he wanted to meet with members of the transition committee to discuss the impact of the conflict in Ukraine, which was driven by Russia’s invasion.

He previously predicted that the next president would face difficulties if the conflict between Ukraine and Russia drags on and pushes up fuel prices even further.

“But it would be good for us to meet this – well, not all, but select members of the committee or maybe all of them. We still have about one or two meetings because of the fallout in Ukraine,” the President said.

“Oil is a very dynamic thing from the time it is... sucked from the bowels of the Earth until it reaches end users... It’s a very dynamic thing and so many problems to solve. The war in Ukraine might be an attrition one... And it could last long or it could be over if (Russian President Vladimir) Putin backs out,” he added.