President Rodrigo Duterte’s maverick style was what most likely propelled him to the presidency. After all, he promised genuine change —that he should make drastic steps and controversial decisions should come as no surprise those who believe that old ways just would not work anymore.
Then again, he won’t be working alone. The Duterte Cabinet—who would be in it—inspires much conversation and speculation.
Duterte began with announcing that Vice President Leonor Robredo would not be given any Cabinet post.
Robredo aside, Mr. Duterte has filled up 80 percent of Cabinet posts shortly before his inauguration. There was the initial intention to have a team similar to what Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did: diverse in terms of age, gender, ethnicity.
What emerged, however, was a team composed of people whom Duterte knew and trusted, and those regarded as experts even as they were from previous administrations.
Some of the younger individuals he invited to be part of his team refused, it is said, because of the low government salaries.
Mr. Duterte reconsidered some appointments, showing he could listen to the pulse of the people. Some, however, remained in the team despite the controversy their appointments generated.
It is Day One for Mr. Duterte, but it is also Day One for the members of his Cabinet who now have to show us they are instruments of meaningful, not nominal, change.