Duterte: Don't refer to my kin as 'First Family'
President-elect Rodrigo Roa Duterte takes his Oath of Office as the 16th President of the Republic of the Philippines with his children standing at his back as witnesses. Supreme Court Justice Bienvenido L. Reyes administers his oath. Presidential Photographers Division/Released, file
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte wants to do away with another Malacañang tradition as he asked the public not to use "First Family" when referring to his family, saying the practice is passé and is not appropriate in a democracy.
Duterte expressed his dislike for the term while he was warning officials not to talk to any of his relatives about government projects.
"I told them not to talk (to my family). I really do not want it. And even a whisper. The assistant secretary erred. He mentioned that he was talking to a member of the First Family. To be honest, that is passé, bahaw na man ang First Family (The First Family is old-fashioned)," the president said in a speech in Davao City last Thursday.
According to a 1997 article in The Atlantic on slang related to the US president, the term, "given wide prominence by the impressionist Vaughn Meader's 1962 comedy album of that name, is probably a contribution of the Kennedy years."
Duterte was referring to former Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark Tolentino, who was fired for allegedly talking to the president's sister about a project.
"You do not use it (First Family) in a democratic country. Do not use 'First Family, First Family'. There is no such thing as a first family. All Filipinos belong to the first family. And it is in utter bad taste to use it," Duterte said.
Duterte said he is also against the use of the word "palace" to refer to Malacañang, the country's seat of power and which is officially named Malacañan Palace.
"You have never heard me say Malacañan Palace especially palace. I just say 'my office.' See me at my office. Go to my office," he added.
The president stressed that government officials are not above ordinary Filipinos.
"At saka ‘yung opisyal, opisyal (I do not use the word 'official'). If you have noticed I use government worker. I always say 'mga kasama ko sa gobyerno (my colleagues in government),' government worker," Duterte said.
"It's not that I am trying to be corny about it. But I think that at this time, this is a democracy. It's a republican form of government. Everybody is important here," he added.
Days after assuming office in 2016, Duterte barred government agencies and officials from addressing him as "your excellency," saying he finds it corny. He has also prohibited the use of "Honorable" when referring to Cabinet members.
Duterte has also prohibited agencies from displaying his photos in government offices and has called the title "first lady" a "myth." — Alexis Romero
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