Duterte to Cabinet: Ease transactions with gov't, honor existing contracts

MANILA, Philippines – After being sworn in as the country's 16th president, Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday ordered his Cabinet to make it easier for the public to deal with government by easing requirements and by being firm with honoring contracts.

In his inaugural speech, Duterte strictly ordered his Cabinet members to remove redundant requirements and refrain from changing and bending the rules of the government contracts.

“I direct all department secretaries and the heads of agencies to reduce requirements and the processing time of all applications from the submission to 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,” Duterte said in his speech delivered at Malacañang's Rizal Hall.

“I order all department secretaries and heads of agencies to refrain from changing and bending the rules of government contracts transactions and projects already approved and awaiting implementation,” he added.

During his previous press conferences and speeches, Duterte repeatedly said he hates seeing the public complain over queuing. He earlier vowed to end this long queues and extortion to obtain government permits and documents.

“Changing the rules when the game is ongoing is wrong. I abhor 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,” Duterte said.

“Do them and we will work together, do not do them and we will part sooner than later,” he added.