Duterte defends Cabinet choice with military background, cites need for Cabinet efficiency, action
President Rodrigo Duterte speaks before officials and beneficiaries of the Unconditional Cash Transfer at the Cebu Technological University gym on Sunday, February 24. | CDNDigital/Junjie Mendoza
CEBU CITY, Philippines — President Duterte defended his choosing a military man to sit as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) during his visit to Cebu on Sunday night, February 24.
DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista was a retired Major General and a former Army chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
He was appointed by the President into his Cabinet post as DSWD Secretary on October 2018.
Read more: Duterte leads ceremonial distribution of cash grants to 780K CV beneficiaries
In front of 1,500 beneficiaries of the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) from Cebu City, President Duterte criticized former secretaries and directors, whom he did not name, to be lazy in their duties.
“Nya’ng yawa kining mga tiguwang nga director, moretire na mga tapulan,” said Duterte.
“Usahay mosulod, igka udto modiretso og laroy-laroy. Mobalik alas kwatro moditso na og uli,” he added.
He said that the practices of these officials caused the delay of paperworks in the government.
“The problem is ang Office of the President ug ang Cabinet needs action to be done,” said the President.
He said that he does not fear the military and is not trying to be in their good graces but only seeks for more efficient Cabinet members.
“Ang problema sa bayan dili kahuwat. Mosulti gani ko buhata, ayawg huwat, buhata dayon,” he said.
Read more: DSWD: 780K households in CV to receive P2,400 cash grants before March ends
The President said he put his trust on Bautista to carry the projects of the department with speed and efficiency including the releasing of the UCT grants to the 10 million household beneficiaries in the country.
Duterte, himself, led the distribution of the grants at the Cebu Technological University gymnasium on the same evening.
The President moved to join the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) proclamation rally at the Plaza Independencia afterwards./dbs
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