What to look forward to from newly-elected president of the Philippines

2016_0511_rodrigo-duterte
Based on the unofficlal, partial returns, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has a commanding lead among presidential candidates of the May 9, 2016 national and local elections. Political opponents have conceded defeat already. Photo credit: Facebook page of RRD Davao.

With opponents having conceded defeat, the elected, new president of the Philippines (POTP) is Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte. The maverick candidate from Mindanao garnered 15,763,349 votes, Manuel Roxas II with 9,595,188 votes, Grace Poe with 8,857,728 votes, Jejomar Binay with 5,263,232 votes and Miriam Defensor Santiago with 5,263,232 votes. Duterte garnered 38.5% of the votes cast with Roxas in the far second of 23.5% of the votes. The count update is true as of May 11th at 1:58:47AM equivalent to 94.82% of all precincts nationwide.

So there is no doubt President Digong is the new tenant of Malacanang Palace.

Having said these, Filipinos have to look forward to his promises and platform of government during the campaigns. Supporters, believers, admirers, detractors and those in between, can have the list below as easy reference:

On poverty alleviation, reduction:

1. Create employment and livelihood programs.
2. Strengthen poverty-reduction programs.
3. Develop ancestral lands to provide income for indigenous peoples.
4. Provide free irrigation to lessen burden of farmers.
5. Expand agricultural production through agri-financing reforms and implementation of Land Bank programs for farmers.

On the nation’s economy and job creation:

1. Craft measures to curb contractualization.
2. Expand the coverage of SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-ibig.
3. Revitalize basic industries.
4. Prioritize agriculture and agricultural development.
5. Create an environment conducive to investment.
6. Lower electricity costs.
7. Prioritize infrastructure gaps.

Fo the people’s food security and source:

1. Identify regions suitable for the growing of needed crops and provide government support to production.
2. Make irrigation free to farmers.
3. Build infrastructure to facilitate transport of produce from farms to markets, including a railway system in Mindanao.
4. Build food terminals in key areas to receive delivery of farm produce.
5. Establish a Department of Fisheries and Marine Resource Management

Keeping the citizenry safe, peace and order:

1. Pursue the peace process with rebels, with efforts in Mindanao directed at specific areas, given cultural differences within the Bangsamoro.
2. Reinstate the death penalty for drug-related offenses and heinous crimes.
3. Institutionalize coordination between the police and military through task forces in hot spots.
4. Increase the salaries of policemen and soldiers.
5. Develop Mindanao as a key effort toward Asean integration.

Preserving the coffers of the government against widespread corruption of officials and employees:

1. Simple living will be the rule for all public servants, starting with the President.
2. Pass the FOI bill.
3. Amend the bank secrecy law to remove the protection of public servants under investigation for corruption.
4. Streamline the government by abolishing redundant offices and eliminating conflicting mandates

Looking after the improvement of basic healthcare for the general population:

1. Review local antismoking ordinances to make them conform to national antismoking laws.
2. Sustain preventive health programs, particularly adequate nutrition.
3. Introduce a national daily exercise program.
4. Implement the reproductive health law equitably.
5. Extend PhilHealth coverage to all Filipinos.
6. Build tertiary hospitals with intensive care units in all provinces.

In the community of nationa and and foreign affairs:

1. Be open to dialogue with China with involvement of Asean.
2. Promote inter-Asean trade by removing roadblocks to South Mindanao-North Sulawesi ro-ro link.
3. Push industrialization in Mindanao for production of high-value goods that can be exported to Asean countries.
4. Promote Zamboanga Ecozone and Southern Mindanao Growth Corridor as gateway to Asean while providing jobs to residents.

On vehicular traffic congestion:

1. Review volume reduction strategies like number coding, as they have not really eased congestion
2. Adopt affordable, efficient mass transport systems in urban centers
3. Decongest cities by providing economic opportunities in the countryside
4. Legislate national land use program that will serve as basis for regional and local zoning laws
5. Build railway systems in the regions

On protection of environment, wildlife and plan of action on climate:

1. Institutionalize climate change adaptation measures
2. Strictly implement environmental and land-use laws
3. Provide climate adaptation fund for agriculture in the regions
4. Adopt smart technology such as rainwater collection and impoundment
5. Formulate policy that would prevent the Philippines from becoming a significant greenhouse gas emitter even as it industrializes

On internet and other infra issues:

1. Regulate the Internet as basic infrastructure.
2. Give telcos three months to achieve fast Internet and fix all problems encountered by the public. If they fail, we will revoke their franchises.
3. Build a new international airport.
4. In the meantime, improve the use of airports in Clark, Cebu, Laoag, Davao. Other airports will be provided with radar and night-landing facilities.

  • What to look forward to from newly elected president of the Philippines

*26

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *