PRESIDENT Rodrigo Roa Duterte vowed to bring back Filipinos' "faith and trust" in government which he said has been eroded due to so much corruption, criminalities, the breakdown of law and order, and other ills confronting the Philippine society.
At exactly 12 noon Thursday, June 30, Duterte took his oath as the country's 16th president, with his children -- Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, Sebastian and Veronica -- standing at his back as witnesses.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes administered the oath-taking attended by more than 600 guests including former presidents Fidel Ramos, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Senate President Franklin Drilon, and members of the Senate, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and members of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court, members of the Diplomatic Corps and incoming members of the Cabinet.
Duterte is the first Philippine president coming from Mindanao.
"Erosion of faith and trust in government -- that is the real problem that confronts us. Resulting therefrom, I see the erosion of the people’s trust in our country’s leaders; the erosion of faith in our judicial system; the erosion of confidence in the capacity of our public servants to make the people’s lives better, safer and healthier.
Indeed, ours is a problem that dampens the human spirit. But all is not lost," he said in his well-applauded 15-minute inaugural speech.
He said this is a deeper and more serious problem that his administration has to address with urgency. He also vowed to address and put a stop to society's social ills confronting the Filipino people.
"There are many amongst us who advance the assessment that the problems that bedevil our country today which need to be addressed with urgency, are corruption, both in the high and low echelons of government, criminality in the streets, and the rampant sale of illegal drugs in all strata of Philippine society and the breakdown of law and order. True, but not absolutely so. For I see these ills as mere symptoms of a virulent social disease that creeps and cuts into the moral fiber of Philippine society." he said.
Duterte said he is bent on pursuing his campaign against criminalities and corruption, specifically on illegal drug activities which his critics described as unorthodox and verge on the illegal.
"In response let me say this: I have seen how corruption bled the government of funds, which were allocated for the use in uplifting the poor from the mire that they are in.
I have seen how illegal drugs destroyed individuals and ruined family relationships," he said.
"I have seen how criminality, by means all foul, snatched from the innocent and the unsuspecting, the years and years of accumulated savings. Years of toil and then, suddenly, they are back to where they started. Look at this from that perspective and tell me that I am wrong." he added.
As he vowed to adhere to due process and the rule of law, which he said is uncompromising, Duterte asked Congress and the Commission on Human Rights and other concerned agencies to allow him and his administration "a level of governance that is consistent to our mandate."
"The fight will be relentless and it will be sustained. As a lawyer and a former prosecutor, I know the limits of the power and authority of the president. I know what is legal and what is not," he assured.
Duterte also directed his department secretaries and the heads of agencies to reduce requirements and the processing time of all applications, from the submission to the release.
"I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to remove redundant requirements and compliance with one department or agency, shall be accepted as sufficient for all,: he said.
"I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to refrain from changing and bending the rules government contracts, transactions and projects already approved and awaiting implementation. Changing the rules when the game is on-going is wrong," he added.
He said he abhorred secrecy and instead advocate transparency in all government contracts, projects and business transactions from submission of proposals to negotiation to perfection and finally, to consummation.
At the opening of his inaugural address, Duterte thanked former President Fidel Ramos for his help in "making him president."
But he stressed that he was elected to the presidency to serve the entire country, and not a particular group.
"I serve everyone and not only one," he said.
He asked the public to join and help him in his crusade for a "better and brighter tomorrow."