Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte

Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022
Cabinet	See list
Party	PDP–Laban
Election	2016
Seat	Malacañang Palace, Manila
Seal of the president

Rodrigo Duterte's tenure as the 16th president of the Philippines began with his inauguration on June 30, 2016, following his landslide victory in the 2016 presidential election, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. Duterte's presidency spanned six years, ending on June 30, 2022. Duterte is the first president from Mindanao; the oldest person to be elected president of the Philippines, at age 71; and the first Philippine president to have worked in the three branches of the government. His election victory was propelled by growing public frustration over the tumultuous post-EDSA democratic governance, which favored political and economic elite over ordinary Filipinos.

Duterte started a nationwide campaign to rid the country of crime, corruption, and illegal drugs. He implemented an intensified crackdown on illegal drugs which significantly reduced drug proliferation in the country, but saw about 6,600 persons linked to the illegal drug trade killed as of July 2019, attracting international criticism. His administration withdrew the Philippines from the International Criminal Court following the court's launch of a preliminary examination into crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Duterte and other top officials of the war on drugs.

Duterte increased infrastructure spending and launched an ambitious infrastructure program. He initiated liberal economic reforms to attract foreign investors, and reformed the country's tax system through a comprehensive tax reform program. He took measures to eliminate corruption and red tape by establishing freedom of information under the Executive branch and signing the Ease of Doing Business Act to create a better business environment. He granted free irrigation to small farmers and liberalized rice imports by signing the Rice Tariffication Law to stabilize rice prices.

Duterte implemented an intensified campaign against terrorism and communist insurgency. He signed a controversial law strengthening counterterrorism in the country, and oversaw the five-month long Battle of Marawi, declaring martial law throughout Mindanao and extending it for two years to ensure order in the island. He initially pursued peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) but cancelled all negotiations in February 2017 following New Peoples Army (NPA) attacks on soldiers, officially declaring the CPP-NPA a terrorist group. He created task forces to end local communist armed conflict and for the reintegration of former communist rebels. He enacted a landmark law establishing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and signed proclamations granting amnesty to former rebels.

Duterte signed free college education in all state universities and colleges, institutionalized the alternative learning system, signed the automatic enrollment of all Filipinos under the government's health insurance program, and ordered the full implementation of the Reproductive Health Law. He oversaw the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, implementing strict lockdown measures causing in 2020 a 9.5% contraction in the country's GDP, which eventually recovered to 5.6% in 2021 following the gradual reopening of the economy and the implementation of a nationwide vaccination drive.

Duterte has pursued an "independent foreign policy", pursuing improved relations with China and Russia, and lessening the country's dependence on its traditional ally — the United States. He has adopted a cautious, pragmatic, and conciliatory stance towards China compared to his predecessor, and has set aside the previous government policy of using the Philippines v. China ruling to assert the Philippines' claims over the South China Sea and its islands.

Duterte's has been described as a controversial and polarizing figure; his domestic approval rating remained relatively high throughout his presidency despite criticism and international opposition to his anti-narcotics drive.

2016 election

Main articles: Rodrigo Duterte 2016 presidential campaign and 2016 Philippine presidential election

  Duterte won solid votes from Mindanao, Metro Manila, and Cebu during the 2016 presidential election.

Duterte ran for president on a platform of combating crime, corruption, and illegal drugs, and on a popular campaign slogan of "Change is coming". He won the 2016 presidential elections, receiving 16,601,997 (39.02%) votes out of a total of 42,552,835 votes, beating his closest rival, Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas, by over 6.6 million votes.

Transition

Main article: Presidential transition of Rodrigo Duterte

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte (left) and outgoing President Benigno Aquino III

Duterte's presidential transition began on May 30, 2016, when the Congress of the Philippines proclaimed him the winner of the 2016 Philippine presidential election held on May 9, 2016. Duterte's transition team was organized after Duterte led by a significant margin at the unofficial count by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). The transition team prepared the new presidential residence and cabinet appointments, and held cordial meetings with the outgoing administration.

The transition lasted until the day of Duterte's inauguration on June 30, 2016.

Inauguration

Main article: Inauguration of Rodrigo Duterte

Duterte is joined by his children as he takes his oath as the 16th President of the Philippines.

Duterte was inaugurated as the sixteenth president of the Philippines on June 30, 2016, at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall, the largest room of the Malacañang Palace, in Manila, in accordance with Duterte's wish to keep the ceremony simple and modest. He was sworn in by Bienvenido L. Reyes, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines and Duterte's fraternity brother. Duterte's inauguration was the fourth Philippine presidential inauguration to be held in Malacañang, and the first since the Fifth Philippine Republic was established.

Administration and cabinet

For a more comprehensive list, see List of administration members in the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte presides over the 29th Cabinet Meeting at the Malacañang Palace on September 11, 2018.

On May 31, 2016, a few weeks before his presidential inauguration, Duterte named his Cabinet members, which comprised former military generals, childhood friends, classmates, and leftists. Following his presidential inauguration, he administered a mass oath-taking for his Cabinet officials, and held his first Cabinet meeting on June 30. He appointed his long-time personal aide, Bong Go, as Special Assistant to the President (SAP) to provide general supervision to the Presidential Management Staff.

During his tenure, he appointed several retired military generals and police directors to the Cabinet and other government agencies, stressing that they are honest and competent. He initially offered four executive departments to left-leaning individuals, who later resigned, were fired, or rejected by the Commission on Appointments after relations between the government and the communist rebels deteriorated. He fired several Cabinet members and officials linked to corruption, but has been accused by critics of "recycling" people he fired when he reappointed some of them to other government positions. Admitting he is not an economist, he appointed several technocrats in his Cabinet, which he relied upon on economic affairs.

Judicial appointments

Duterte appointed the following to the Supreme Court of the Philippines:

Chief Justice

1. Teresita Leonardo-De Castro - August 28, 2018
2. Lucas Bersamin - November 28, 2018
3. Diosdado Peralta - October 23, 2019
4. Alexander Gesmundo - April 5, 2021 (his last SC Chief Justice appointee)

Associate Justices

1. Samuel Martires - March 6, 2017 (as Associate Justice), July 26, 2018 (as Ombudsman).
2. Noel G. Tijam - March 8, 2017
3. Andres Reyes Jr. - July 12, 2017
4. Alexander Gesmundo - August 14, 2017 (as Associate Justice)
5. Jose C. Reyes - August 10, 2018
6. Ramon Paul Hernando - October 10, 2018
7. Rosmari D. Carandang - November 28, 2018
8. Amy C. Lazaro-Javier - March 7, 2019
9. Henri Jean Paul Inting - May 27, 2019
10. Rodil V. Zalameda - August 5, 2019
11. Edgardo L. de Los Santos - December 3, 2019
12. Mario V. Lopez - December 3, 2019
13. Samuel H. Gaerlan - January 8, 2020
14. Priscilla Baltazar-Padilla - July 16, 2020
15. Ricardo Rosario - October 8, 2020
16. Jhosep Lopez - January 26, 2021
17. Japar Dimaampao - July 2, 2021
18. Midas Marquez - September 27, 2021
19. Antonio Kho Jr. - February 23, 2022
20. Maria Filomena Singh - May 18, 2022 (his last SC appointee)

Major activities

Duterte delivers his first State of the Nation Address at the Batasang Pambansa with Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III (left) and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on July 25, 2016.

Speeches

• Inaugural Address (June 30, 2016)
• First State of the Nation Address (July 25, 2016)
• Second State of the Nation Address (July 24, 2017)
• Third State of the Nation Address (July 23, 2018)
• Fourth State of the Nation Address (July 22, 2019)
• Fifth State of the Nation Address (July 27, 2020)
• Sixth State of the Nation Address (July 26, 2021)

Major acts and legislation

Main article: List of major acts and legislation during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte

See also: 17th Congress of the Philippines § Laws passed, and 18th Congress of the Philippines § Republic Acts

Duterte signed a total of 379 bills into laws in the 17th Congress; 120 of these laws were national in scope, while 259 were local. In the 18th Congress, Duterte signed 311 bills into law, 119 of which were national in scope, while 192 were local.

Executive orders

Main article: List of executive orders by Rodrigo Duterte

National budget

R. A. No.	Title	Principal Sponsor	Date signed
10924	General Appropriations Act of 2017	Loren Legarda	December 22, 2016
10964	General Appropriations Act of 2018	Loren Legarda	December 19, 2017
11260	General Appropriations Act of 2019	Loren Legarda	April 15, 2019
11464	Extension of General Appropriations Act of 2019	Nancy Binay	December 20, 2019
11465	General Appropriations Act of 2020	Nancy Binay	January 6, 2020
11520	General Appropriations Act of 2021	Nancy Binay	December 29, 2020
11640	General Appropriations Act of 2022	Nancy Binay	December 30, 2021

Leadership style

See also: Political positions of Rodrigo Duterte

Duterte is known for his authoritarian leadership style, decisiveness, fiery rhetoric, and man-of-the-people persona. He frequently deviates from prepared speeches and occasionally mentions humorous, controversial and outrageous remarks and expletives during his speeches, for which his spokesperson and advisers would later interpret and clarify, sometimes through conflicting statements. His erratic way of speaking has attracted concern from some observers, who stress his public statements may be misconstrued as government policy. He has also been criticized for his sexist jokes and low tolerance for dissent. His man-of-the-people style contributes to his popularity among many Filipinos, who see in him a strict father figure, Tatay Digong (Father Digong), who instills order and discipline within the nation.

Duterte has been described as a populist. He rejected being called "Your Excellency" and "His Excellency", issuing in July 2016 an order prohibiting the use of the honorific for himself and "Honorable" for his Cabinet members, in an effort to reinforce his populist and "simple" style. He had an unconventional habit of chewing gum in public and wearing casual attire even on formal occasions, saying he dresses for comfort, and not to impress anybody. Several scholars have used the term "Dutertismo" to refer to Duterte's style of governance and the various illiberal elements and radical politics in his presidency.

Duterte believes an "iron fist" is needed to inculcate discipline in his administration. Amid the community quarantines during the COVID-19 pandemic, he asked the public for discipline in following quarantine rules as he employed the military and police in enforcing social distancing guidelines.

Duterte described himself as a night person, typically starting his working day at 1:00 to 2:00 in the afternoon. He called for news conferences that begin at midnight and stressed that, "unlike others", he reads and scrutinizes piles of documents at his office before signing them.

First 100 days

Main article: First 100 days of Rodrigo Duterte's presidency

During his first 100 days in office, Duterte issued an executive order on freedom of information, launched an intensified campaign against illegal drugs, sought to resume peace talks with communist insurgents, formulated a comprehensive tax reform plan, led efforts to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law, made efforts to streamline government transactions, launched the nationwide 9–1–1 rescue and 8888 complaint hotlines, established a one-stop service center for overseas Filipino workers, and increased in the combat and incentive pay of soldiers and police personnel.

Duterte made moves to limit US visiting troops in the country, and has reached out to China and Russia to improve relations. He launched tirades against international critics, particularly, United States President Barack Obama, the US government, the United Nations, and the European Union, which expressed condemnation to his unprecedented war on drugs that led to the deaths of about 3,300 people, half of which were killed by unknown assailants, and the arrest of 22,000 drug suspects and surrender of about 731,000 people.

A day after a September 2 bombing in Davao City killed 14 people in the city's central business district, Duterte declared a "state of lawlessness"; the following day, he issued Proclamation No. 55 officially declaring a "state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao".

Domestic affairs

Insurgency and terrorism

Further information: Insurgency in the Philippines and Terrorism in the Philippines

Islamic insurgency in Mindanao

Further information: Bangsamoro peace process, Moro conflict, and Bangsamoro Organic Law

Duterte meets with MNLF chairman, founder and former ARMM Governor Nur Misuari, November 3, 2016

Duterte was endorsed in the 2016 election by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari due to his background in Mindanao. Other Muslim groups also supported Duterte and denounced Mar Roxas, President Benigno Aquino III's supported pick.

Duterte stressed that Moro dignity is what the MNLF and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are struggling for, and that they are not terrorists. He acknowledged that the Moros were subjected to wrongdoing, historical and in territory. He blamed the violence on Mindanao on colonial Christianity being brought to the Philippines in 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan, saying there was peace in the nation before the colonizers arrived. He blamed the United States for the bloody conflicts in the Middle East, and accused the US of "importing" terrorism themselves, stressing that terrorism is not "exported" by the Middle East. He cited the Bud Dajo Massacre inflicted upon the Moros while criticizing the US and President Barack Obama, and while calling for the exit of American troops in September 2016.

Early in his term, Duterte said federalism is the only solution to the Bangsamoro peace process. On July 8, 2016, he vowed to address the Moro conflict and bring peace in Mindanao, assuring the Filipino Muslim community that he will pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which would establish the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, if the proposal for the country's shift to federalism, which the MILF and the MNLF both support, fails or is not desired by the Filipino people; he added that the BBL should benefit both the MILF and MNLF, saying he is willing to negotiate with both secessionists to initiate a "reconfiguration" of territory". On November 6, 2016, he signed an executive order expanding the Bangsamoro Transition Commission from 15 members to 21, in which 11 will be decided by the MILF and 10 will be nominated by the government; the commission was formed in December 2013 and is tasked to draft the BBL in accordance with the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

Duterte (center) with other officials during the presentation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law to the MILF at Malacañang Palace on August 6, 2018

On July 26, 2018, Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law, which abolished the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and provided for the basic structure of government for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), following the agreements set forth in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) peace agreement signed in 2014 between the Government of the Philippines, under President Benigno Aquino III, and the MILF. An executive order implementing the normalization program of the CAB peace agreement was signed by Duterte in April 2019, paving the way for the decommissioning of MILF forces and weapons; from June 2019 to May 2022, a total of about 19,200 former MILF combatants and 2,100 weapons were decommissioned. Following the clamor of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) and several Bangsamoro communities to extend the Bangsamoro transition period to allow the BTA to establish the foundations of effective autonomy, Duterte signed a law resetting the first parliamentary elections of BARMM from 2022 to 2025.

Campaign against terrorism

See also: Battle of Marawi, 2019 Jolo Cathedral bombings, 2020 Jolo bombings, and Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020

Duterte welcomes Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad on September 18, 2016, following his release from Abu Sayyaf captivity.

The Maute group, an ISIS-inspired terrorist group, had reportedly been able to establish a stronghold in Lanao del Sur since early 2016. The group had been blamed for the 2016 Davao City bombing and two attacks in Butig, Lanao del Sur, a town located south of Marawi, in 2016. Prior to Duterte's tenure, President Benigno Aquino III had downplayed the threat of ISIS in the Philippines, maintaining that the Maute group during the February 2016 Butig clash were merely mercenaries wanting to be recognized by the Middle East-based terror group.

In November 2016, Duterte confirmed the Maute group's affiliation with the Islamic State. Amidst fierce fighting in Butig on November 30, Duterte, in a command briefing in Lanao del Sur, warned the Maute group not to force him to declare war. On December 2, as the military regained control of Butig, the retreating Maute fighters reportedly left a note threatening to behead Duterte.

Duterte talks to troops at the 4th Infantry Division HQ 6 regarding the Marawi crisis.

On May 23, 2017, clashes erupted between Philippine security forces and ISIL-affiliated militants Maute and Abu Sayyaf Salafi jihadist groups in the city of Marawi during an offensive to capture Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, prompting Duterte to sign Proclamation No. 216 declaring a 60-day martial law in the entire of Mindanao. Maute group militants attacked Camp Ranao, occupied and set fire to several key buildings in the city and the main street, and took a priest and several churchgoers hostage. The Armed Forces of the Philippines stated that some of the terrorists were foreigners who had been in the country for a long time, offering support to the Maute group in the city, and whose main objective was to raise an ISIS flag at the Lanao del Sur Provincial Capitol and declare a wilayat or provincial ISIS territory in Lanao del Sur. The city suffered extensive damage resulting from militant fire and military airstrikes to drive the terrorists out of the urban areas. On June 28, Duterte issued an administrative order creating an inter-agency task force to facilitate the rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction efforts in the conflict-torn city. Duterte declared Marawi as "liberated from terrorist influence" on October 18, a day after the deaths of militant leaders Omar Maute and Isnilon Hapilon. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana subsequently announced on October 23 that the five-month battle, the longest urban battle in the country's modern history, had finally ended.

Duterte (center) inspects the Jolo Cathedral interior on January 28, 2019, a day after the twin explosions

Citing necessity to quell hostile activities perpetrated by terrorist groups, Congress granted Duterte's requests to extend martial law in Mindanao thrice: from July 22, 2017, to December 31, 2017; from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018; and from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. Martial law in Mindanao lapsed on January 1, 2020, after Duterte decided not to extend it. A few days after the historic ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law on January 21, 2019, a twin bombing at the Jolo Cathedral killed 20 people attending Mass; the military conducted airstrikes in Sulu against the Abu Sayyaf Group after Duterte's order to "pulverize" the terrorist group. On March 18, 2020, Duterte signed an administrative order including former violent extremists as beneficiaries of the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

Terrorist activities continued in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, although the pandemic brought security forces in closer contact with the civilian population. Following the Jolo bombings in August 2020 which killed 15 people, Duterte visited the blast site and kissed the ground to honor the lives lost, and vowed to crush the militants.

In July 2020, Duterte signed the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 which aims to give more surveillance powers to government forces to curb terror threats and acts. The law has become the subject of criticisms as critics claim the legislation relaxes safeguards on human rights and is prone to abuse; authors and sponsors of the bill, on the other hand, said it is at par with the laws of other countries and will not be used against law-abiding citizens.

From 2016 up to 2021, a total of 1,544 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, 971 Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and 1,427 Dawlah Islamiyah members had surrendered, been captured or killed by security forces.

Campaign against communist insurgency

Further information: Communist rebellion in the Philippines

Duterte (foreground, 3rd from right) presides over a meeting with the NTF-ELCAC at the Malacañan Palace on April 15, 2019

Early in his term, Duterte sought to resume peace talks with the communist rebels. He directed his peace process advisor, Silvestre Bello III, to lead a government panel in resuming peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People's Army (NPA), and the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Oslo, Norway, expressing hope that a peace treaty between the government and the rebel groups would be reached within a year. The Duterte administration granted the temporary release of communist political prisoners who were expected to join the peace talks. The first talks began on August 22–26, 2016, in which the parties agreed upon "the affirmation of previously signed agreements, the reconstitution of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) which protects the rights of negotiators, consultants, staffers, security and other personnel involved in peace negotiations, and the accelerated progress for negotiations". Several left-leaning individuals nominated by the communist rebels were appointed by Duterte to top-government positions, which included executive departments.

Relations between Duterte and the communist rebels deteriorated following continued rebel attacks on soldiers amid the peace talks. Several officials with leftist affiliations who were initially appointed by Duterte were rejected by the Commission on Appointments; others have resigned or have been fired by Duterte. Attacks and kidnappings of soldiers by NPA members amid the imposed ceasefire between the government and the rebels prompted Duterte to cancel all negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF in February 2017, designate the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization, and order the arrest of all NDF negotiators. Clashes between the military and rebel groups resumed after the government and the rebels lifted the ceasefire.

A task force was formed by Duterte in April 2018 to centralize all government efforts and programs for the reintegration of former communist rebels. An executive order issued by Duterte in December 2018 created a national task force to end local communist armed conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and established a "whole-of-nation" approach in combating extremism and terrorism to address the "root causes" of communism in the country. 822 barangays identified by the NTF-ELCAC as having been cleared of NPA influence have been set to receive ₱20 million worth of projects each under the Barangay Development Program.

Duterte permanently terminated peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF in March 2019, paving the way for localized peace talks. He cited communist terrorism as the top threat to the country's national security. In June 2021, the Anti-Terrorism Council designated the National Democratic Front (NDF) as a terrorist organization, citing it as an "integral and inseparable part" of the CPP-NPA.

Duterte threatened to bomb Lumad community schools in July 2017, maintaining that they shelter communist rebels and teach students rebellion and subversion against the government. He supported the military assertion that the left-wing partylists of the Makabayan Bloc are legal fronts of the CPP, repudiating red-tagging claims by saying "We are not red-tagging you. We are identifying you as members in a grand conspiracy comprising all the legal fronts that you have organized headed by NDF and Communist Party of the Philippines".

By the end of Duterte's term in office, NPA guerrilla fronts were significantly reduced from 89, when Duterte assumed office, to 23, while more than 25,000 "members, supporters, and sympathizers of the underground movement" were reduced to about 2,000, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Defense

Further information: AFP Modernization Act

Duterte (in white shirt) inspects a newly-delivered S-70i Black Hawk helicopter in Clark Air Base, Pampanga on February 12, 2021.

The Duterte administration committed to continue the 15-year modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) launched by the Arroyo administration and revived by the Benigno Aquino III administration. In October 2016, the Duterte administration approved and signed the contract initiated by President Benigno Aquino III with South Korean firm Hyundai Heavy Industries for the construction of two new frigates for the Philippine Navy worth ₱15.74 billion. The two missile frigates were delivered to the Philippines in May 2020 and February 2021, and were officially commissioned in July 2020 as BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), the country's first missile-capable frigate, and in March 2021 as BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), respectively.

On June 20, 2018, Duterte approved the shopping list of Horizon 2, the second phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program, which was to be implemented from 2018 to 2022, with a budget of about ₱300 billion. The Duterte administration made its largest military aircraft acquisition contract in February 2022, after signing a 32 billion-peso deal to purchase 32 additional S-70i "Black Hawk" combat utility helicopters from PZL Mielec of Poland.

To prevent the "revolving door" system and create excellence in leadership in the AFP, Duterte, in April 2022, signed a law granting the chief of staff and other senior military officers of the AFP a fixed three-year term, unless sooner terminated by the President. The law also allows the President to extend the term "in times of war or other national emergency declared by Congress".

By Duterte's last month in office, 54 projects under the AFP Modernization Act and Revised AFP Modernization Act have been completed.

Crime

Duterte campaigned to bring law and order to the country. Following Duterte's order of a crackdown against loiterers (tambays), whom he described as "potential trouble for the public", the Philippine National Police (PNP) on June 13, 2018, launched Oplan Tambay or "Rid the Streets of Drunkards and Youths" (Oplan RODY), an anti-criminality campaign meant to enforce city and municipal ordinances, such as those against drinking, gambling in streets, urinating in public, roaming half-naked, making too much noise, and minors violating the curfew. On June 21, records showed that 7,291 loiterers and vagrants in Metro Manila were arrested by the police just 9 days after the Oplan RODY campaign was launched. Concerns about the campaign arose following the death of 22-year-old Genesis "Tisoy" Argoncillo while in detention, who was arrested and jailed for allegedly causing alarm and scandal; two inmates who allegedly mauled Argoncillo have been charged for murder. On June 25, Senator Bam Aquino and the Makabayan Bloc filed resolutions pushing for an investigation into what they call anti-poor arrests of thousands of loiterers. Duterte maintained that he did not order the arrests of tambays. PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde denounced critics for allegedly conditioning the minds of the public that rights are being violated in the intensified campaign, and stressed that those arrested had violated local ordinances, which included smoking in public, being half-naked, and karaoke singing past 10 p.m.

In October 2016, Duterte signed an administrative order creating the Presidential Task Force Against Media Killings (later renamed Presidential Task Force on Media Security) to ensure a safe environment for media workers and the speedy probe of new cases on media killings. In April 2022, he signed a law creating the Office of the Judiciary Marshals tasked to ensure the security and protection of the judiciary members, officials, personnel, and property. In an effort to address law and order and shortage of prosecutors in the country, he appointed, during his tenure, at least 1,700 new prosecutors, the most number of appointments in any previous presidency, in the National Prosecution Service.

Duterte made efforts to strengthen border control, issuing an executive order mandating the adoption and implementation of an Advance Passenger Information System, effectively requiring commercial carriers to submit to the Bureau of Immigration their passengers' information prior to departure to or arrival from the Philippines. In June 2022, he signed a law strengthening the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, giving authorities additional tools for pursuing human traffickers whose violations involve the internet and digital platforms. A law he signed in May 2022 eased gun application requirements for persons considered to be in imminent danger; the law also extended the validity of firearms license from two years to five to 10 years, at the option of the licensee.

Duterte denounced hazing, signing into law the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018, which prohibited all forms of hazing in fraternities, sororities, and organizations in schools; however, he said hazing would be difficult to stop unless fraternities were banned. The Safe Spaces Act signed into law in April 2019 imposed heftier penalties for gender-based sexual harassment including wolf-whistling and catcalling in public spaces. Through laws signed by Duterte, protection of consumers against fraud committed through financial services was strengthened, and Timbangan ng Bayan centers were mandated to be established in all markets and supermarkets nationwide to protect consumers from unfair practices by assisting them in accurately checking the weight and quantity of goods they purchase.

Except for killings related to the war on drugs during his early presidency, crime rate significantly dropped under Duterte's watch. In October 2021, the PNP reported that the total number of crimes in the country dropped by 49.6 percent over the past 63 months since July 2016; police data showed that from 2.67 million crimes reported from 2010 to 2015, it went down to 1.36 million from 2016 to September 2021.

War on Drugs

Main article: Philippine drug war

See also: Illegal drug trade in the Philippines and Extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines

Duterte presents a chart which he claims illustrates a drug trade network of drug syndicates, on July 7, 2016.

During his presidential campaign, Duterte cautioned that the Philippines was at risk of becoming a narco-state and vowed the fight against illegal drugs will be relentless. In early July 2016, a few days after his inauguration, he launched the War on Drugs; the Oplan Tokhang, a house-to-house campaign inviting identified drug suspects to surrender themselves, was launched by Philippine National Police (PNP) shortly after. Duterte presented a chart identifying three Chinese nationals who serve as drug lords in the Philippines. On August 7, he disclosed the names of about 150 public officials, including mayors, congressmen, legislators, police, military and judges, reportedly involved in illegal drug trades.

Protesters against the War on Drugs gather in front of the Philippine Consulate General in New York City on October 11, 2016.

At the height of the anti-drugs campaign, Duterte issued controversial public statements urging the public and communists to kill drug dealers; he also encouraged police during anti-drug raids to "shoot first" if their lives were in imminent danger and that he would grant them pardon if they are criminally convicted in the discharge of their anti-drug related duties. Thousands of drug personalities and users surrendered to the police for fear of their lives, overwhelming the administration and prompting them to build more rehabilitation centers. Concerns about the implementation of the anti-drugs campaign arose after the growing number of deaths of drug suspects during anti-illegal drug police operations were reported by the local media, attracting international attention and prompting the United States, the European Union, the United Nations, human rights watchdogs, and opposition groups to condemn the extrajudicial killings which were presumed to be state-sanctioned. In August 2016, opposition Senator and Duterte's staunch critic Leila de Lima launched a Senate probe into reported extrajudicial killings amid the anti-drug campaign, presenting Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed hitman of the alleged vigilante group Davao Death Squad (DDS), as witness. Matobato testified that Duterte, then mayor of Davao City, was involved in extrajudicial killings in the City; Duterte dismissed the allegation as a "lie". The Senate terminated its probe on October 13, 2016, after finding insufficient evidence on the claim that Duterte ordered the killings allegedly committed by the DDS.

An Inter-agency Committee on Anti-illegal Drugs (ICAD), composed of 21 government agencies and headed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), was formed in March 2017 by Duterte to lead the fight against illegal drugs. In April 2017, the lawyer of Matobato, Jude Josue Sabio, filed a 77-page complaint before the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Duterte and 11 other officials for alleged crimes against humanity amid the nationwide anti-drug campaign.

In October 2017, amid public outrage over alleged police abuse in the continuing crackdown, Duterte prohibited the PNP from joining anti-drug raids and designated the PDEA as the "sole agency" in charge of the war on drugs. A recovery and wellness program for drug dependents was launched by the PNP in the same month. The PNP was allowed back to join the campaign in December 2017, with the PDEA still being the lead agency. In October 2018, Duterte signed an executive order institutionalizing the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Strategy, which prescribes a more balanced government approach in the fight against illegal drugs by directing all government departments and agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, and state universities and colleges to craft their own plans relative to the strategy.

As early as November 2016, Duterte signaled his intention to withdraw the Philippines from the ICC, which he described as "useless", after an ICC prosecutor said the ICC may have authority to prosecute the perpetrators of the drug war deaths. In March 2018, the Philippines withdrew from the ICC after the tribunal's chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in February 2018 launched a preliminary examination into crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Duterte and other top officials of the war on drugs; the withdrawal took effect exactly a year later, on March 17, 2019. On September 16, 2021, the ICC authorized a formal investigation into the war on drugs, focusing on crimes committed when Duterte took office in 2016 until March 2019. A deferral of the probe was requested by the Philippine government via a letter sent to ICC prosecutor Karim Khan in November 2021, informing the ICC that local authorities are conducting thorough investigations of all reported deaths during anti-narcotic operations in the country; the ICC suspended its investigation in December 2021 to assess the scope and effect of the deferral request. On June 26, 2022, a few days before Duterte's term in office ended, Khan concluded that the deferral request by the Philippine government is "not warranted" on the basis that "majority of the information provided by the Philippine Government relates to administrative and other non-penal processes and proceedings which do not seek to establish criminal responsibility"; he requested the pre-trial chamber I of the ICC to immediately resume the investigation.

Duterte has since acknowledged underestimating the gravity of the illegal drug problem when he promised to rid the country of illegal drugs within six months of his presidency, citing the difficulty in border control against illegal drugs due to the country's long coastline and lamenting that government officials and law enforcers themselves were involved in the drug trade. Toward the end of his term, he accepted the possible retaliation from drug syndicates and said that he gains nothing from the drug war but hate. He asked president-elect Bongbong Marcos to continue the war on illegal drugs in Marcos' own way, to protect the youth, but declined the possibility of being appointed as Marcos' drug czar, saying he is looking forward to his retirement, and said he might find a way to address the drug problem as a civilian.

Part of the Duterte administration's strategy on anti-illegal drugs is the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, which aims to eradicate illegal drugs in the country's remaining drug-affected barangays. By February 2022, the PDEA reported that a total of 24,379 (58%) out of the 42,045 barangays have been declared drug-cleared, 6,606 (16%) barangays were drug unaffected/drug-free, while 11,060 (26%) have yet to be cleared of illegal drugs. 783,005 drug surrenderees have undergone the PNP's recovery and wellness program by October 2021.

The war on drugs retained majority support among Filipinos throughout Duterte's six-year tenure in office.

Support for death penalty

Further information: Capital punishment in the Philippines

Duterte speaks with PNP Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa in the Malacañang Palace on August 16, 2016.

Duterte campaigned to restore death penalty in the country, preferrably by hanging, for criminals involved in illegal drugs, gun-for-hire syndicates and those who commit "heinous crimes" such as rape, robbery or car theft where the victim is murdered; Duterte theatrically vowed "to litter Manila Bay with the bodies of criminals".

In December 2016, the bill to resume capital punishment for certain "heinous offenses" swiftly passed out of Committee in the House of Representatives; it passed the full House of Representatives in February 2017. On March 7, despite fierce criticism, especially from the Catholic Church, the House of Representatives approved on 3rd and final reading the controversial bill. However, the law reinstating the death penalty stalled in the Senate in April 2017, where it did not appear to have enough votes to pass.

Presidential pardons and amnesty

Early in his term, Duterte pardoned several communist rebels and political prisoners as part of pursuing peace talks with the communists. He granted pardon to elderly and sickly prisoners, and to Philippine Military Academy and Philippine National Police Academy upperclassmen and graduating cadets with outstanding punishments and demerits. In November 2016, upon the recommendation of the Board of Parole, which is under the Department of Justice, he granted absolute pardon to actor Robin Padilla, who was convicted for illegal possession of firearms in 1994.

In August 2018, Duterte signed a proclamation revoking the amnesty of his staunch critic, Senator Antonio Trillanes; Duterte stressed that the amnesty, which was granted in 2010 by President Benigno Aquino III, was void ab initio as Trillanes did not apply for amnesty and failed to admit guilt for his roles in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny and the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege.

Following an Olongapo local court ruling ordering the early release of convicted murderer US Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton as he had shown good behavior while in prison and therefore served an equivalent of his maximum 10-year sentence, Duterte, on September 7, 2020, granted absolute pardon to Pemberton, who served less than six years in prison for killing Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude in 2014.

In February 2021, Duterte signed an executive order creating the National Amnesty Commission tasked to process applications for amnesty of former rebels and determine those who are eligible. He signed four proclamations granting amnesty to members of the Moro National Liberation Front, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the communist movement, and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB).

Anti-corruption

See also: Corruption in the Philippines

Duterte signs the Freedom of Information executive order in Davao City on July 24, 2016.

Describing corruption in the government as "endemic", Duterte prioritized its eradication during his tenure. A few weeks after assuming office, he signed the Freedom of Information executive order, allowing the public to obtain documents and records from the executive branch in an effort to promote government transparency. In October 2017, he ordered the creation of an anti-corruption agency tasked to eliminate corruption and red tape in the executive department. The 8888 Citizens' Complaint Hotline was institutionalized in October 2016 through an executive order, allowing the public to report complaints on poor government front-line services and corrupt practices in government agencies; the hotline was expanded in November 2020 to allow complaints to be sent via text message free of charge.

Duterte (center) signs into law the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

Duterte took steps to streamline government processes, ordering government agencies to remove all processes deemed as "redundant or burdensome" to the public. The Ease of Doing Business Act signed into law in May 2018 aimed to reduce processing time, cut bureaucratic red tape, and eliminate corrupt practices to create a better business environment; the law also created the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA). An online one-stop shop for business registration, the Central Business Portal, was launched by the government in January 2021 to expedite and streamline the business registration process and lower its duration from 33 days to less than a day. Duterte created the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Streamlining of Government Processes tasked to recommend to the President or to the ARTA policies and programs that would cut red tape in the executive branch and local government units. A law he signed in December 2020 authorized the President to expedite the processing and issuance of national and local permits, licenses, and certifications, by suspending its requirements, in times of national emergency.

Duterte inspects smuggled luxury cars before they were destroyed at Port Irene in Santa Ana, Cagayan on March 14, 2018.

Duterte had a policy to destroy smuggled luxury vehicles to discourage smugglers. In March 2019, he signed a law abolishing the graft-ridden Road Board, stressing that the agency was "nothing but a depository of money and for corruption."

Amid the corruption allegations within the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Duterte, in August 2020, issued a memorandum directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to create a task force that will investigate the widespread corruption and irregularities within the PhilHealth. On October 27, he ordered the DOJ and a newly created mega-task-force to investigate allegations of corruption in the entire government.

Federalism and constitutional reform

Main article: Federalism and Rodrigo Duterte

Further information: Federalism in the Philippines and Constitutional reform in the Philippines

Duterte advocates federalism as a better system of governance for the Philippines, arguing that regions outside Metro Manila receive unfairly small budgets from the Internal Revenue Allotment. He also highlights that money remitted to national government is misused by corrupt politicians in the Philippine Congress. He expressed his willingness to end his term early once federalism is passed.

On December 7, 2016, Duterte signed an executive order creating a 25-member Consultative Committee tasked to review the 1987 Constitution within six months. On January 23, 2018, he appointed members of the Consultative Committee comprising Justices, ex-legislators, lawyers, academics, and other experts, with former Chief Justice Reynato Puno as chairman. The Consultative Committee held its first session on February 19. On July 3, the Consultative Committee unanimously approved a federal charter, which includes provisions on a ban on political dynasties, political turncoatism, and monopolies and oligopolies; the charter also included provisions on additional powers for the Ombudsman and Commission on Audit. Duterte approved the Consultative Committee's draft federal Constitution and said he will endorse it to the Congress. However, on October 8, the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments approved and recommended the adoption of a new draft federal Constitution filed by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and 21 other lawmakers, which was heavily criticized by the Consultative Committee and the public as Arroyo's draft deleted several key provisions of the original version which include safeguards against political dynasties, turncoatism, and federated regions; Arroyo's draft was also denounced as it removed term limits of Congress members and removed the vice president from the presidential line of succession. Duterte, meanwhile, on November 5, formed an inter-agency task force to raise public awareness on the proposed federal system of government, after poll results showed it is the least of Filipinos' concerns. On December 11, the House of Representatives passed on third and final reading Arroyo's draft federal charter, Resolution of Both Houses No. 15, but the Senate rejected it.

Since June 2019, after several issues continued to surround Arroyo's draft charter, Duterte acknowledged that federalism may not be established in his remaining time. On December 10, 2021, months before leaving office, Duterte, at a democracy summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, admitted that he failed in his push to establish a federal system of government in the country, citing the lack of congressional support for his campaign promise.

"My government also sought to broaden democratic participation through federalism but my constitutional project did not get Congress support. So be it. I respect the separation of powers [that is] vital for democracy."

— Duterte, December 10, 2021

Early in his term, in 2017, Duterte raised the idea of setting up a revolutionary government as a way for the country to make real progress and to prevent chaos from ruling the streets if the opposition attempts to oust him as president, but later rejected calls for its establishment. He criticized and called for the abolition of the party-list system, which he described as "evil", citing the system no longer represented the marginalized as it has been infiltrated and exploited by communist legal fronts and the country's elite.

On June 1, 2021, Duterte issued an executive order directing the devolution of some functions of the executive branch to local governments.

Agriculture

The Duterte administration inherited from the Benigno Aquino III administration a neglected and declining agricultural sector. In Duterte's first year, in 2017, agriculture recovered with a 6.3 percent growth from a 2.0 percent decline in the previous year. Despite the growth in the country's other economic sectors during Duterte's presidency, the Duterte administration struggled to revive the farm sector, which had seen a steady decline over the past decades, leaving the agriculture industry in a fragile state.

Inflation in 2018 caused by spikes in rice prices prompted Duterte to urge Congress to replace rice import limits with a system of tariffs. The Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) enacted in February 2019 ended the rice importation monopoly of the National Food Authority by replacing quantitative restrictions on rice imports with a 35% import tariff in an effort to stabilize rice prices for consumers. Revenue from the import tariffs were earmarked for a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to be used in supporting domestic farmers affected by the RTL improve their productivity. Following its passage, the RTL received vehement criticism and opposition from leftist groups, members of Congress, farmers groups, and some academia members, while gaining support from business groups. Palay and retail rice prices eventually dropped, and rice prices stabilized despite the COVID-19 pandemic and successive typhoons. A law signed by Duterte in 2019 authorized the Department of Agriculture to use any funds exceeding the ₱10 billion annual rice import tariff revenues to provide annual cash assistance until 2024 to small farmers tilling 2 hectares (4.9 acres) and below of rice land.

Commonwealth-era restrictions on agricultural free patents issued to farmers were eased, allowing agricultural land titles to be immediately available for trade. The Sagip Saka Act signed into law in April 2019 promoted enterprise development for farmers and fishermen to boost their income, and strengthened direct purchase of agricultural goods from farmers, eliminating the need for middlemen. Certification of organic produce by farmers and fishermen was made more accessible and affordable. An administrative order signed by Duterte in 2020 awarded qualified fresh graduates of agricultural degrees at most 3 hectares (7.4 acres) of land in an effort to prevent shortage of farmers by encouraging the youth to venture into agriculture.

Free irrigation for farmers owning not more than 8 hectares (20 acres) of land was signed into law by Duterte in February 2018, benefiting about 1.033 million farmers tilling 1.189 million hectares (11,890 km²) of agricultural land by December 2021. A law signed in February 2021 created a trust fund for the country's coconut farmers; the law was complemented by an executive order issued by Duterte in June 2022 which implemented the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan, paving the way for the release of the ₱75 billion trust fund for coconut farmers consisting of coco levy assets declared state property by the Supreme Court.

In 2019, the African swine fever reached the Philippines and caused an outbreak, prompting the government to tighten animal quarantine and ban imported pork from several countries. More than 3 million hogs were culled from 2020 to 2021, causing a huge supply deficit in pork and a rise in domestic pork price. Duterte issued an executive order temporarily lowering tariffs on imported pork meat for one year; the order reduced tariff rates for imported pork meat to a range between 5% to 20% from the current range of 30% to 40%. Hog population significantly increased after the administration initiated a massive repopulation program to boost domestic pork supply. On May 10, 2021, Duterte issued a proclamation declaring a one-year nationwide state of calamity due to the continued spread of the disease despite government interventions.

By July 2021, a total of 2,025 kilometres (1,258 mi) farm-to-market roads, and 94.99 kilometres (59.02 mi) farm-to-mill roads have been completed by the Duterte administration under the Build! Build! Build! program.

Disaster resilience

Duterte and Senator Bong Go during an aerial inspection of areas affected by Tropical Storm Agaton in Capiz on April 16, 2022

Since 2017, Duterte called on Congress to pass a bill creating the Department of Disaster Resilience, a department dedicated to disaster response and rehabilitation efforts. The bill has been approved by the House of Representatives, but has faced opposition by some senators, who see the bill as bloating the already "bloated" bureaucracy.

In July 2019, Duterte approved the Department of Science and Technology-led GeoRisk PH, a multi-agency government initiative to serve as the central resource of natural hazards and risk assessment information in the country through web applications.

Following the 2020 Taal Volcano eruption, Duterte called for the construction of more evacuation centers in areas prone to disasters. In April 2022, the government inaugurated three evacuation centers in Batangas province strategically located outside the 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) Taal Volcano danger zone. By July 2021, 223 new evacuation centers under the Build! Build! Build! program had been constructed.

After typhoons Rolly and Ulysses ravaged the country, Duterte issued an executive order in November 2020 creating the Build Back Better Task Force, a permanent inter-agency body assigned to streamline and hasten post-disaster rehabilitation and recovery efforts of typhoon-affected areas.

In September 2021, Duterte signed the BFP Modernization Act, mandating the implementation of a 10-year program to modernize the Bureau of Fire Protection; the law also expanded the bureau's mandate by including disaster risk response, and emergency management.

Economy

Further information: DuterteNomics

Duterte speaks at the World Economic Forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 11, 2017

Real GDP growth rate (year-on-year)

Year	Quarter	Growth rate
2016	1st	6.9%
	2nd	7.4%
	3rd	7.3%
	4th	6.9%
2017	1st	6.4%
	2nd	7.2%
	3rd	7.5%
	4th	6.6%
2018	1st	6.5%
	2nd	6.4%
	3rd	6.1%
	4th	6.4%
2019	1st	5.9%
	2nd	5.6%
	3rd	6.3%
	4th	6.6%
2020	1st	-0.7%
	2nd	-16.9%
	3rd	-11.6%
	4th	-8.2%
2021	1st	-3.8%
	2nd	12.1%
	3rd	7.0%
	4th	7.8%
2022	1st	8.2%
	2nd	7.4%

Duterte inherited from the Aquino administration both a strong economy and a poor performance in public infrastructure investment. He vowed to continue Aquino's macroeconomic policies while increasing infrastructure spending, through his economic team's 10-point socioeconomic agenda. Early in his term, his expletive-laden outbursts triggered the biggest exodus from stocks in a year and made the Philippine peso Asia's worst performer in September 2016, although the Philippine economy posted the strongest growth in Asia at 7.1% in the third quarter of 2016.

The Duterte administration sought to attract more investors by easing restrictions on international retailers. In February 2019, Duterte signed a law updating the 38-year-old Corporation Code of the Philippines, allowing a single person to form a corporation. In March 2022, he signed into laws Republic Act No. 11647, which amended the Foreign Investment Act of 1991, effectively relaxing several restrictions on foreign investments; and Republic Act No. 11659, which amended the 85-year old Public Service Act, effectively allowing full foreign ownership of public services which include airports, expressways, railways, telecommunications, and shipping industries in the country.

Following the devastation of Typhoon Ompong to agriculture in September 2018, the inflation rate of the country soared to 6.7%, its highest in 9 years. On September 21, 2018, Duterte signed Administrative Order No. 13, removing non-tariff barriers in the importation of agricultural products, to address soaring inflation rates. Inflation decreased in November 2018, at 5.8 to 6.6 percent. BSP decreased its inflation forecast for 2019, after the passage of the rice tariffication bill. Inflation further decreased from 6.7 percent in October 2018 to 0.8 percent in October 2019, the lowest inflation rate recorded since May 2016.

The Duterte administration made initiatives to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). In January 2017, the Department of Trade and Industry launched the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso Program (P3), a microfinancing program to assist MSMEs and provide them an alternative to resorting to loan sharks and the usurious "5-6" lending scheme; the P3, which charged only 2 to 2.5 percent interest per month compared to the 20% interest rate in the "5-6" lending scheme, allowed MSMEs to borrow an amount of ₱5,000 to ₱100,000. The administration also increased nationwide the number of Negosyo Centers, which provide efficient services for MSMEs; by August 2021, 996 of these centers have been established since 2016, out of a total of 1,212.

After several reforms such as Ease of Doing Business Law were introduced, the Philippines' ease of doing business ranking improved from 124th to 95th, and the country's overall ease of doing business score rose to 62.8, according to the World Bank's 2020 Doing Business Report.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic reached the country and caused the economy to enter a recession following government lockdowns and restrictions to contain the virus. Gross domestic product (GDP) shrunk by 9.5% in 2020, prompting the administration to further loosen restrictions to revive the economy. GDP recovered to 5.6% in 2021 after the administration initiated a nationwide vaccination drive and eased pandemic-related restrictions, while the country's debt-to-GDP ratio soared from 39.6% in pre-pandemic 2020 to 60.4% as of end-June 2021 due to loans incurred by the government to address the pandemic.

On March 21, 2022, Duterte signed an executive order adopting a 10-point policy agenda to hasten economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. To reduce the country's debt, which rose to ₱12.68 trillion as of March 2022, the Duterte administration's economic team proposed in May 2022 to the incoming Marcos administration a fiscal consolidation plan containing corrective tax measures, which include the expansion of value-added tax to raise government revenues. By the second quarter of 2022, the Philippine economy had grown by 7.4%, making the country the second-fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia.

Infrastructure development

Main article: Build! Build! Build!

This section is an excerpt from Rodrigo Duterte § Infrastructure development.[edit]

The Athletic Stadium of the New Clark City sports complex, completed on October 12, 2019, 50 days before the opening of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games

To reduce poverty, encourage economic growth, and reduce congestion in Metro Manila, the Duterte administration launched its comprehensive infrastructure program, Build, Build, Build, on April 18, 2017. The program, which forms part of the administration's socioeconomic policy, aimed to usher in the country's "Golden Age of Infrastructure" by increasing the share of spending on public infrastructure in the country's gross domestic product (GDP) from 5.4 percent in 2017 to 7.4 percent in 2022. The administration, in 2017, shifted its infrastructure funding policy from public-private partnerships (PPPs) of previous administrations to government revenues and official development assistance (ODA), particularly from Japan and China, but has since October 2019 engaged with the private sector for additional funding.

The administration revised its list of Infrastructure Flagship Projects (IFPs) under the Build, Build, Build program from 75 to 100 in November 2019, then to 104, and finally, to 112 in 2020, expanding its scope to include health, information and communications technology, and water infrastructure projects to support the country's economic growth and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some major projects include the Subic-Clark Railway, the North–South Commuter Railway from New Clark City to Calamba, Laguna, the Metro Manila Subway, the expansion of Clark International Airport the Mindanao Railway (Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment), and the Luzon Spine Expressway Network By April 2022, 12 IFPs have been completed by the administration, while 88 IFPs, which were on their "advanced stage", have been passed on to the succeeding administration for completion.

From June 2016 to July 2021, a total of 29,264 kilometres (18,184 mi) of roads, 5,950 bridges, 11,340 flood control projects, 222 evacuation centers, and 150,149 elementary and secondary classrooms, and 653 COVID-19 facilities under the Build, Build, Build program had been completed.

Taxation

Further information: Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law

Duterte (seated, center) signs the TRAIN Law and 2018 General Appropriations Act at the Malacañang Palace on December 19, 2017.

The Duterte administration initiated a comprehensive tax reform program to make the country's tax system simpler, fairer, and more efficient. The first package of the program, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (TRAIN Law), adjusted tax rates by excluding those earning an annual taxable income of ₱250,000 from paying personal income tax; the law conversely raised excise taxes on vehicles, sugar-sweetened beverages, petroleum products, tobacco and non-essential goods to generate funds for the administration's massive infrastructure program. The second package, the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE Act), lowered corporate income tax from 30% to 25% to attract more investments and maintain fiscal stability. Sin taxes on tobacco and vapor products, as well as alcohol beverages and electronic cigarettes, were raised to fund the Universal Health Care Act and reduce incidents of diseases associated with smoking and alcohol consumption. A tax amnesty signed into law by Duterte in February 2019 granted errant taxpayers a one-time opportunity to affordably settle their tax liabilities while raising government revenue for infrastructure and social projects.

Duterte signed a law imposing 5% tax on gross gaming revenues of Philippine offshore gaming operators. In March 2019, he signed a law excluding small-scale miners from paying income and excise taxes for gold they sell to the central bank.

Trade

On September 2, 2021, Duterte ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, an ASEAN-led free trade agreement involving 10 ASEAN members and Australia, China, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand; the agreement was sent to the Senate for its concurrence, but its ratification has been delayed after the Senate adjourned sessions for the May 2022 election break. In June 2022, the Senate deferred the agreement's ratification to the incoming 19th Congress after some senators raised concerns over the lack of safeguards for the country's agricultural sector, and following president-elect Bongbong Marcos' pronouncement of intending to review the agreement.

Education and research

Stressing that the long-term effects of education would outweigh any budgetary problems, Duterte signed in August 2017 a landmark law granting free tuition on all state universities and colleges (SUCs), after his economic managers earlier opposed the bill. He signed a law in February 2019 mandating free access to technical-vocational education to address unemployment and job mismatch in the country. Medical scholarships for deserving students in SUCs and private higher education institutions (HEIs) was enacted through the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act. A law signed in April 2022 aimed to improve the quality of teacher education and established a scholarship program for students pursuing teacher education degree programs. To assist students in pursuing a proper college education, a career guidance and counseling program for all secondary schools nationwide was established through a law signed by Duterte in February 2019.

Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC) and Values Education were restored as core subjects in the K-12 curriculum in all public and private schools. Transnational higher education was established in the country through a law signed in August 2019, allowing foreign universities to offer degree programs in the Philippines in an effort to modernize the higher education sector and bring expertise into the country. A law signed in May 2021 integrated labor education into the higher education curriculum; another law enacted in August 2019 required the creation of an advanced energy and green building technologies curriculum for both undergraduate and graduate students.

Duterte signed a law institutionalizing the alternative learning system (ALS), which provides a parallel learning system for non-formal sources of knowledge and skills, and provides free education to those out of school. A law he signed in March 2022 granted inclusive education for learners with disabilities. Filipino Sign Language was declared the national sign language of the Filipino deaf and was required to be taught as a separate subject in the curriculum for deaf learners.

Duterte signs into law the establishment of the National Academy of Sports on June 9, 2020.

Duterte enacted a law in June 2020 establishing the country's first National Academy of Sports in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac. In June 2022, he led the groundbreaking ceremony of the Philippine Sports Training Center in Bagac, Bataan, urging the next administration to build more sports facilities to help improve Filipino athletes.

In an effort to boost research and development in the country, Duterte signed in June 2018 the Balik Scientist Act, providing incentives to Filipino scientists abroad to motivate them to return to the country and share their expertise.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2020, Duterte rejected the resumption of face-to-face classes in COVID-19 low-risk areas until vaccines became available in the country, stressing he will not risk putting the lives of students and teachers in danger. On October 5, 2020, the Department of Education reopened classes after months of closure due to the pandemic, implementing distance or blended learning which involve a mix of modular learning, online learning, and TV and radio broadcasts. Duterte approved in September 2021 a two-month pilot testing of limited face-to-face classes in COVID-19 low-risk areas; in January 2022, he approved the education department's proposal to expand face-to-face classes.

By the end of Duterte's term, 1.97 million students across 220 HEIs were granted free tuition from the academic years (AY) 2018-2019 up until AY 2021-2022, while 364,168 grantees availed of tertiary education subsidies and benefits from the administration's Tulong Dunong Program in the same period.

Energy

Duterte leads the ocular inspection of the FDC Misamis 3x135 MW Circulating Fluid Bed Coal Thermal Plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental on September 22, 2016

The Duterte administration adopted a "technology neutral" approach and included renewable sources of energy such as hydroelectric, geothermal, wind, and solar in the power producing mix. Early in Duterte's term, the administration maintained that coal remains the most viable source of energy if the Philippines is to accelerate industrialization; Duterte questioned the sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union on smaller countries, including the Philippines, when the country's carbon footprint is not significant compared to those of the superpowers.

The administration pursued policies for the country to transition to renewable energy as a source of power. At his fourth State of the Nation address in July 2019, Duterte issued a directive to cut coal dependence and fast-track a transition to renewable energy. In August 2017, Duterte inaugurated the first Filipino solar module manufacturing facility at Santo Tomas, Batangas, owned by renewable energy firm Solar Philippines. In a shift in the administration's energy neutrality policy, the energy department, in October 2020, issued a moratorium on the construction of new coal power plants, effectively favoring renewable energy sources.

To hasten the expansion of the nation's power capacity, Duterte signed an order on June 28, 2017, establishing the inter-agency Energy Investment Coordinating Council tasked with simplifying and streamlining the approval process of big-ticket projects. In January 2022, he signed a law promoting the use of microgrid systems in unserved and underserved areas to accelerate total electrification of the country.

The administration sought new energy sources. With the impending depletion of the Malampaya gas field, Duterte, on October 15, 2020, approved the Department of Energy's recommendation to lift the moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea imposed by President Benigno Aquino III in 2012. The administration's energy department partnered with Australian company Star Scientific Ltd. and Japanese company Hydrogen Technology Inc. (HTI) to study hydrogen as a possible energy source. On February 28, 2022, Duterte signed an executive order approving the inclusion of nuclear power in the country's energy mix.

The administration pursued to liberalize the energy sector. In October 2020, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi confirmed that the Philippines started allowing 100% foreign ownership in large-scale geothermal projects.

The energy department reported in September 2021 that the country's system capacity increased from 21,424 megawatts in 2016 to 26,287 megawatts in 2020, and household electrification level rose from 90.7% in 2016 to 94.5% in 2020.

Environment

Duterte signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in March 2017, after initially having misgivings about the deal which he says might limit the country's industrialization; the Agreement was ratified by the Senate on March 15, 2017. Duterte said that rich countries producing the most carbon emissions should pay developing nations for the damage caused by climate change.

In March 2018, Duterte issued a presidential proclamation declaring parts of the Philippine Rise, which the United Nations ruled as part of the country's exclusive economic zone, as a marine protected area. The E-NIPAS Act of 2018, a landmark legislation he signed in June 2018, protected an additional 94 critical habitats nationwide and declared them as national parks, effectively increasing the number of protected areas in the country from 13 to 107 covering a total of 3 million hectares (30,000 km²). In April 2022, he signed laws declaring Mount Pulag, Mount Arayat, Tirad Pass, and two other areas as protected landscapes under the National Integrated Protected Areas System.

Diplomatic tensions between the Philippines and Canada concerning trash briefly escalated between April and May 2019 when Duterte ordered officials to immediately return to Canada several shipping containers containing tons of household garbage Canada sent to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014, many of such containers remained idle for years in the town of Capas, Tarlac. The Canadian government agreed to repatriate the trash but maintained that the trash, which was falsely labelled as recyclable plastics, was done by a private company without their consent. Duterte recalled the Philippine ambassador to Canada and other diplomats after Canada missed the May 15 deadline to retrieve the garbage; Duterte also threatened to declare war on Canada or personally "sail to Canada and dump their garbage there". On May 31, 2019, 69 containers of Canadian refuse were loaded onto a vessel and transported from Subic Bay to the city of Vancouver, Canada.

In May 2021, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), led by environment secretary Roy Cimatu, completed the closure, which began since 2017, of all 335 open dumpsites nationwide. Local government units were subsequently required by the DENR to rehabilitate the dumpsites into sanitary landfills.

Mining

In May 2016, Duterte offered staunch environmental activist Gina Lopez to be the environment secretary of his administration. Gina accepted the offer, and was later reappointed by Duterte after she was bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) and highly criticized following her decision to close down 23 mining operations in functional watersheds and suspend six others in February 2017. Duterte, who has expressed support for Lopez, said that there was nothing he could do about the closures. On May 9, Duterte appointed former military chief Roy Cimatu as the new environment secretary, after the CA rejected Lopez's appointment as environment secretary in a vote of 8–16 on May 3, amid issues over her order to close and suspend mining operations. The Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, which vehemently opposed Lopez's appointment, welcomed the appointment of Cimatu and expressed hope that Cimatu would take a more balanced approach to the job. In July 2018, Duterte floated a "conspiracy" behind Congress' decision in May 2017 to reject Lopez's appointment as environment secretary.

Duterte initially threatened to ban open-pit mining in April 2018, ordering mining companies to conduct reforestation activities. In April 2021, to boost government revenue and the COVID-19 pandemic-battered economy, he lifted the nine-year moratorium on new mining agreements imposed in 2012; the move was hailed by mining companies but has dismayed environmental activists and progressive groups. The ban on open-pit mine on copper, gold, silver, and complex ores imposed in 2017 by Gina Lopez was subsequently repealed through a Department Administrative Order signed by environment secretary Roy Cimatu in December 2021.

Boracay cleanup

Main article: 2018 Boracay closure

Algal bloom in Boracay on April 25, 2018, a day prior to the island's closure

Issues concerning pollution and improper waste management in Boracay island, the country's number one tourism destination, caught the national government's attention in early 2018, when the country's tourism and environment departments warned and ordered to close down establishments in the island over violations of water, waste treatment, and land use regulations.

On April 4, 2018, Duterte ordered a six-month closure of Boracay to address raw sewage entering its natural waters; Duterte said that the government had "no master plan" on how to clean up the island, which he called a "cesspool", and said the island will be a land reform area once its rehabilitation is completed. On April 24, about 600 soldiers, police, and coast guard members were deployed in Boracay to maintain peace and order amid possible protests during the closure, causing alarm among residents. Boracay's six-month closure began on April 26, and the entire island was officially closed to the public. Two weeks after the closure, Duterte ordered the creation a Boracay inter-agency task force to review and consolidate existing master plans and formulate an action plan to reverse the degradation of the island resort.

Boracay was officially reopened to the public on October 26, 2019, following a six-month extensive cleanup. A limit of 6,000 visitors to the island per day had been set by the government, as studies have shown Boracay's capacity at only 6,000.

On September 14, 2021, Duterte signed an executive order extending the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force's term until June 2022 to "ensure completion of the remaining milestones of the Boracay Action Plan until 2022".

Manila Bay cleanup

See also: Manila Bay Beach

Manila Bay Beach during its temporary opening on September 19, 2020

Following the Boracay cleanup, the Duterte administration pursued to rehabilitate the Manila Bay. On January 8, 2019, Duterte ordered for the cleanup of Manila Bay, instructing Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary Roy Cimatu and Department of the Interior and Local Government secretary Eduardo Año to initiate the cleanup. Duterte warned hotels along the bay to install water treatment systems or risk being shut down. Rehabilitation of the bay started on January 27, with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority collecting more than 45 tons of garbage that day. In February 2019, Duterte issued an administrative order creating the Manila Bay Task Force tasked to hasten the rehabilitation of the bay. Coliform levels in several parts of the bay had significantly dropped since the cleanup.

In September 2020, the DENR began overlaying crushed dolomite rock on a portion of Manila Bay to create an artificial beach as part of the bay's rehabilitation; the move has drawn criticism from environmental advocates, and the opposition, but has drawn support from the general public.

Land reclamation

Further information: Land reclamation in Metro Manila

Amid imminent reclamation projects in Manila Bay in February 2019, Duterte signed an executive order transferring the power to approve reclamation projects from the National Economic and Development Authority to the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), which he placed under his office, the Office of the President. In February 2020, he rejected reclamation projects in the bay from the private sector, citing the damage they will cause to the city; he said only government-related reclamation projects including those approved by the PRA will be allowed to proceed.

In April 2022, Duterte ordered DENR acting secretary Jim Sampulna to stop the processing of applications for all reclamation projects in the country, stressing that massive land reclamation proposals are "nothing but a breeding ground for corruption".

Illegal logging

After Cagayan Valley experienced massive flooding due to Typhoon Ulysses, Duterte, on November 15, 2020, ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to look into reports of illegal logging and mining, lamenting that despite being discussed in various meetings, "nothing" has been done to address the issues. He vowed to improve efforts against illegal logging and mining to prevent a repeat of the disaster. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año ordered the Philippine National Police to begin a campaign against illegal logging. On August 26, 2021, Duterte revealed that the New People's Army protects illegal loggers in exchange for money.

Health

Duterte signs the Universal Health Care Act at the Malacañang Palace on February 20, 2019.

Duterte vowed to improve the country's health care system, signing several health-related bills into law. The Universal Health Care Act signed in February 2019 mandated the automatic enrollment of all Filipinos under the government's health insurance program. A law, signed in the same month, institutionalized a "national integrated" program to control and prevent cancer, a leading cause of death in the Philippines. The Philippine Mental Health Law established a national policy seeking to enhance the delivery of integrated mental health services in the country and protect the rights of persons using psychiatric, neurologic and psychosocial health services. HIV and AIDS health services were made more accessible through a law enacted in December 2018. A law signed in December 2019 institutionalized the Malasakit Center, a "one-stop shop" for health concerns, in all hospitals run by the Department of Health. Smoking in public places was banned nationwide and the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics were regulated, through executive orders issued by Duterte.

Duterte signed a law establishing a national feeding program for undernourished children in all public schools. A law signed in June 2018 expanded health and nutrition services for all children, during the first 1,000 days of their lives, and their expectant mothers. An executive order signed by Duterte created an inter-agency task force which will formulate a National Food Policy and provide a roadmap for achieving zero hunger.

In 2017, Duterte launched a ₱1 billion medical program funded under the Office of the President's socio-civic projects fund, providing free medicines, prosthesis, assistive devices, radiology, and chemotherapy assistance to indigent citizens. In an effort to make medicines more affordable, Duterte, in February 2020, issued an executive order setting a price cap on select medicines; another executive order issued in December 2021 enforced stricter price regulation of drugs and medicines used in addressing the leading causes of death in the country.

COVID-19 pandemic

Main articles: COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines and Philippine government response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Further information: COVID-19 community quarantines in the Philippines and COVID-19 vaccination in the Philippines

Duterte (right) during a meeting with IATF-EID members at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City on June 4, 2020.

Following the first confirmed case of "novel coronavirus 2019" in the country, Duterte, on January 31, 2020, ordered a temporary ban on the entry of Chinese nationals from China's Hubei province, expanding the ban to the whole of China in February 2020. On March 8, he issued a proclamation declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the country due to the COVID-19; four days later, he placed Metro Manila on lockdown. On March 16, he declared a State of National Calamity for the next six months; a day later, he placed the entire Luzon under Enhanced Community Quarantine which resulted to the temporary closure of borders and suspension of work and public transport, while instructing people to stay home. On March 24, Congress passed the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act (Bayanihan 1), which Duterte subsequently signed the following day; under the law, the President was granted the authority to realign the 2020 national budget to address the COVID-19 crisis in the country, and to temporarily take over or direct the operations of private establishments which include private hospitals, hotels, and public transport which will be used in addressing the health crisis.

On July 2, 2020, the Duterte administration launched the National Action Plan (NAP) Phase II, which seeks to gradually open the economy while protecting the people's health against the virus through the "Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treatment-Reintegration" Strategy (PDITR). On April 4, the administration started requiring the public to use face masks when leaving home; millions of reusable cloth face masks were distributed to poor citizens. In May 2021, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) started issuing Safety Seal certifications to establishments compliant with the government's health protocols.

To expand the country's testing capacity for COVID-19, the administration established sub-national laboratories of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in several hospitals across the country. Extension laboratories were also set up in private hospitals, while "mega swabbing centers" were established in parts of Metro Manila and Bulacan to further expand testing. On November 4, 2020, Duterte issued an executive order directing the Department of Health and the DTI to place a price cap on COVID-19 tests to make them more affordable. The health department authorized the Philippine Red Cross laboratories to conduct saliva-based RT-PCR tests starting January 25, 2021, and collaborated with the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center and the UP-National Institutes of Health in conducting genome sequencing of COVID-19 samples.

The administration adopted "a national-government-enabled, LGU-led, and people-centered response" to the COVID-19 crisis. In April 2020, the Inter-Agency Task Force passed a resolution giving the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) the responsibility to lead contact tracing efforts. The DILG hired thousands of contact tracers and ordered local government units to increase their contact tracing teams to monitor the status of COVID-19 suspect and probable cases; the DILG also ordered barangay captains to form Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams composed of an executive officer, a barangay tanod, and two barangay health workers as first-line COVID-19 respondents in their communities. The administration launched StaySafe, a digital contact tracing mobile application, to improve efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

To reduce the risk of local transmission and properly implement home quarantine protocols, the administration launched the Oplan Kalinga program, which directs local government units to fetch COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms and transport them to government quarantine facilities; the program focuses on patients whose homes have no separate room or toilet for isolation, or patients living with elderly or people with comorbidities. Hotels and accommodation establishments were temporarily converted into quarantine and isolation facilities.

In August 2020, the administration launched the One Hospital Command Center (OHCC) to monitor hospital capacity and assist infected patients in finding an appropriate health facility. On July 12, 2021, the OHCC was strengthened and relaunched as the National Patient Navigation and Referral System, which aims to interconnect health facilities and government agencies to provide immediate health services to COVID-19 patients.

The administration purchased and distributed medical equipment and supplies. On March 30, 2020, the health department purchased 1 million personal protective equipment (PPEs) worth ₱1.8 billion for COVID-19 health workers, prompting the Senate to call for a probe on alleged overpricing. On May 20, Duterte took full responsibility for the procurement of the PPEs, saying he ordered health secretary Francisco Duque III to expedite the procurement of the PPEs regardless of cost so as not to compromise the health workers' safety. The DTI also boosted local production of medical equipment through its Shared Service Facility Fabrication Laboratories (SSF FabLabs) project.

The administration provided hazard pay, special risk allowance (SRA), and sickness and death benefits to health workers. In November 2020, Duterte signed two administrative orders granting hazard pay and SRA to medical frontliners. In mid-2021, the COVID-19 Delta variant caused a rise in daily infections in the country, causing some medical workers groups to conduct protest and resignation threats. The health department disbursed ₱237 million for health care workers, after Duterte ordered for the distribution of the special risk allowance within 10 days. In January 2022, the health department replaced the hazard pay and SRAs benefits with the One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA), which would be distributed monthly to all health care workers, taking into consideration their COVID-19 risk exposure classification.

Duterte shows an AstraZeneca-developed COVID-19 vaccine vial following a ceremonial turnover in Pasay City on March 4, 2021.

The Department of Science and Technology conducted studies and clinical trials on supplementary treatment for COVID-19 which include virgin coconut oil, tawa-tawa, lagundi, and melatonin.

In September 2020, Congress passed the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2), which replaced the Bayanihan 1. On September 11, Duterte signed the Bayanihan 2 into law, which includes a ₱165 billion fund that aims to stimulate the economy while strengthening the health sector and the administration's pandemic responses; the law also allows the President to realign funds for pandemic-related expenditures.

Duterte appointed various czars to respond to the pandemic, after rejecting the idea of forming a committee in charge of vaccine procurement which he said might lead to further delays. In November 2020, he designated Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. as "vaccine czar", and tasked him to secure COVID-19 vaccines for the country once available.

Amid a Senate probe, headed by Senator Richard Gordon, on a scandal involving the government's purchase of alleged overpriced medical supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. at the height of the pandemic, Duterte barred Cabinet members from attending the hearings, which he said were unnecessarily long and were impeding the government's pandemic response efforts. In February 2022, the Senate draft report on the probe recommended filing charges against Pharmally and government officials involved in the transactions, including Duterte, who, according to the report, "betrayed public trust" when he appointed Michael Yang, whose name was linked to the scandal, as presidential advisor, barred his Cabinet members from attending the hearings, and refused "to run after his appointees despite calls from the public", among other reasons; Duterte ignored the probe report, saying he would not waste Filipinos' time in reacting to the Senate panel's recommendation. As the seven-month long investigation ended with the adjournment of the 18th Congress on June 2022, the report failed to reach the Senate plenary for deliberations after it was signed by only nine senators out of the 11 required signatures; Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Sherwin Gatchalian refused to sign the report after it implicated Duterte in the scandal.

The administration started its COVID-19 vaccination program on March 1, 2021, a day after the arrival of the country's first vaccine doses which were donated by the Chinese government. Under the program, priority was given to medical workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities. The administration initially had a target of vaccinating 90 million Filipinos before Duterte's term ends, but lowered it to 77-80 million in April 2022 due to persisting vaccine hesitancy among the public, especially in rural areas and in the Bangsamoro and SOCCSKSARGEN regions, where vaccination rate remained low. By early June 2022, over 245 million vaccine doses have been secured by the administration, of which, 151.2 million had been administered. 69.4 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated, 14.3 million individuals received their booster shots, while about 67 million received their first dose, and 407,074 received their second booster shot. By the end of Duterte's term in office, a total of 70.5 million individuals had been fully vaccinated; over 3.7 million COVID-19 cases had been logged in the country during his presidency since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, with over 3.69 million recoveries and 8,706 (0.23%) active cases.

Housing and urban development

In February 2019, Duterte signed a law merging the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board to create the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), which is tasked to establish Housing One-Stop Processing Centers in the country's regions to centralize the processing of all documents related to housing.

The DHSUD reported in October 2021 that the Duterte administration has financed and produced 1,076,277 housing units from 2016 to June 2021 and had the highest yearly output average of 195,687 housing units per year since 1975.

On March 8, 2017, an estimated 12,000 people led by members of militant urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) illegally occupied about 5,000 housing units in six government housing projects in Pandi, Bulacan intended for National Housing Authority (NHA) beneficiaries, informal settlers displaced from danger zones in Metro Manila, and uniformed personnel. Duterte initially said he will not tolerate the illegal occupation, which he described as anarchy, and said the issue should be settled with dialogue. The NHA issued eviction notices but failed to evict the thousands of illegal occupants from the housing units, prompting Duterte on April 4 to allow the illegal dwellers to live in the units they occupied as long as they do not expel military and police officers already living in the other units. In June 2018, Duterte ordered the Philippine National Police to stop Kadamay from taking over more NHA housing units after Kadamay members attempted to occupy another housing project intended for military and police in Rizal.

In March 2022, the government started its first housing project for indigenous peoples.

Labor

Effort vs. contractualization

See also: Endo contractualization

Duterte (right) convenes with government and non-government stakeholders from the labor sector at the Malacañang Palace on February 7, 2018.

Duterte campaigned to phase out contractualization (locally known as endo, derived from "end of contract") and improve labor policies in the Philippines. Upon his election, he appointed Silvestre Bello III as Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment, who considers making all companies put at least 80% of all employees under contract as per the president's orders. By the end of 2016, around 32,000 workers have been regularized. In 2017, Duterte and Bello aimed for a new permanent policy that would end labor-only contractualization by the end of February, but Bello did not sign it, deciding instead to hold a dialogue between the president and labor groups to get feedback. Duterte eventually met with the labor groups as Bello drafts a new Department Order that would stop labor contractualization. However, by March 16, Bello signed Department Order 174 which sets stricter guidelines on contractualization but doesn't immediately outlaw it. Duterte continued his stand against contractualization, promising to sign an Executive Order (EO) against it. However, terrorist attacks perpetuated by the Maute group in Marawi City ended up postponing the signing. A rally was organized by labor groups on March 15, 2018, in protest against the president's delay of the EO. On May 1, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 51 which prohibits illegal contracting and subcontracting, although labor groups criticized the president for his actions since the one signed was not the draft agreed upon with them. Malacañang admitted it was powerless in enforcing a ban on contractualization, stating that an Executive Order is not sufficient to enforce a total ban on it, and said that lawmakers should amend the Labor Code of the Philippines for contractual work arrangements to be abolished.

On September 21, 2018, Duterte certified as urgent a Senate bill prohibiting contractualization and labor-only contracting, which was stated to benefit over 40 million workers in the country. Several business groups urged Duterte to veto the bill, which they claim is redundant by existing laws and may force businesses to adopt automation and artificial intelligence instead; they cited the bill violates the constitutional rights of businesses to contract labor. In July 2019, Duterte vetoed the Security of Tenure Bill, stressing that the bill broadened the scope and definition of illegal "labor-only contracting" and prohibited legitimate forms of contractualization not unfavorable to employees; he added that "our goal, however, has always been to target the abuse, while leaving businesses free to engage in those practices beneficial to both management and the workforce." The decision was welcomed by employers, with some labor groups criticizing the move as a failure to deliver a campaign promise, while the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines blamed business groups for "scare tactics" and deception that allegedly misled Duterte in rejecting the bill because it would discourage investments. Malacañang defended Duterte's veto, stating that his administration remained in its promise to end unfair practices of contractualization.

In November 2019, the labor department reported that over 564,000 contractual workers have been regularized by their employers as part of the administration's effort to end contractualization.

Support for migrant workers

Duterte shakes hands with overseas Filipinos in Brunei on October 16, 2016

Duterte signs the bill creating the Department of Migrant Workers during the signing ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on December 30, 2021.

Duterte vowed to make the concerns of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) his top labor priority. In December 2021, he signed Republic Act No. 11641 creating the Department of Migrant Workers to improve coordination among government agencies concerned with OFW affairs. He issued executive orders creating the Overseas Filipino Bank in September 2017 and the Overseas Filipino Workers Hospital in December 2021 that will cater primarily to OFWs. In August 2017, he signed a law extending the validity of Philippine passports from 5 years to 10 years.

Bilateral agreements providing more employment opportunities for and strengthening the protection of OFWs were signed by the Philippines, under the Duterte administration, with 26 countries, including Cambodia, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Romania, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Duterte administration launched one-stop shops or centers for OFWs where they can efficiently access all government front-line services to be able to secure their required employment documents. Starting September 2016, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) exempted OFWs returning to their jobs or same employers abroad from paying travel tax, securing overseas employment certificate, and paying the agency's processing fee. In November 2018, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) launched the OFW E-Card, a new identification card allowing OFWs faster access to OWWA's programs and services, including welfare services, scholarships, training programs, and social benefits.

Duterte advocated and called for the abolition of the exploitative kafala system affecting millions of overseas Filipinos employed in Gulf countries. Following the death of Filipina maid Joanna Demafelis in Kuwait wherein her body was found inside a freezer, a dispute between the two countries occurred wherein Duterte issued a deployment ban to Kuwait in February 2018 and thousands of Filipino workers in the Gulf state were repatriated. On May 11, 2018, the Agreement on the Employment of Domestic Workers between the Philippines and Kuwait was signed by the two countries, which recognized certain rights of Filipino migrant workers employed as servants or maids in Kuwait.

The Philippines approved a total ban on the deployment of workers to Kuwait on January 15, 2020, after the death of Jeanelyn Villavende who was killed by her employer in the Gulf state. The Philippines and Kuwait later signed an agreement on the proposed standard employment contract for OFWs in the Gulf State on February 5, 2020. The standard contract contains regulations endorsed by Duterte — including allowing Filipinos to keep their passports and cellphones, setting one day off with pay, and designating working and sleeping hours for the OFWs.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, the Duterte administration repatriated more than one million OFWs and provided them free COVID-19 testing, food, and accommodation in Metro Manila.

Salary increases and employee benefits

Duterte announces salary increase for soldiers and policemen at Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal on August 24, 2016.

During his tenure, Duterte approved the raising of salaries of government employees, including the military, police, and other uniformed personnel. Through the Salary Standardization Law of 2019 signed in January 2020, salaries of government workers, including teachers and nurses, were increased in four tranches from 2020 to 2023. A law signed in April 2022 granted a night-shift differential pay to all government employees at a rate not exceeding 20% of the hourly basic rate of the employee.

In February 2019, Duterte signed a law extending paid maternity leave of female workers from 60 days to 105 days.

National identification system

Duterte shows a copy of the PhilSys Act after signing it during a ceremony at Malacañang Palace on August 6, 2018.

Duterte stressed that transactions will be simpler and faster through the use of a national ID. On August 6, 2018, he signed into law the Philippine Identification System Act seeking to establish a single government identification card for all citizens and foreign residents in the country by integrating various government-issued IDs. On February 14, 2022, he issued an executive order institutionalizing the national ID as sufficient proof of identity and age in all forms of transactions, eliminating the need to present additional IDs.

Social issues

Land reform

Duterte (right) hands over Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) to Lanao del Norte beneficiaries during a ceremony in Cagayan de Oro on October 31, 2018.

During his presidential campaign, Duterte called the land reform program of the Aquino administration a "total failure", and stated that he would pursue land reform differently by prioritizing the provision of support services alongside land distribution to farmers. On July 5, 2016, a few days after Duterte's presidential inauguration, the Department of Agrarian Reform opened the gates of its main office in Quezon City after two decades of being barricaded shut to keep protesters from storming inside the government agency's office.

Following the Boracay cleanup, Duterte in November 2018 distributed 623 certificates of land ownership award, covering 274 hectares (680 acres) of land in Boracay and Aklan, to the area's Ati inhabitants and other agrarian reform beneficiaries. In February 2019, Duterte ordered all government agencies to identify government-owned lands that can be distributed to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Agrarian land distribution in Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac was completed in December 2018, after the last 117 farm workers in the hacienda were handed their certificates of land ownership award covering 6,600 square metres (71,000 sq ft). On August 27, 2019, Duterte completed the distribution of remaining portions of land in the hacienda under the agrarian reform program in a ceremonial distribution of over 87,000 hectares (210,000 acres) of land.

By August 2021, a total of 516,000 hectares (1,280,000 acres) of land had been distributed among 405,800 farmers nationwide by the agrarian department under the Duterte administration.

Poverty alleviation

The Duterte administration has pursued to pull 6 million Filipinos out of poverty. Duterte issued his first executive order ordering 12 government agencies to be placed under the supervision of the Cabinet Secretary in a goal to evaluate existing poverty reduction programs and streamline them. On October 5, 2016, he signed his fifth executive order adopting Ambisyon Natin 2040 as the 25-year economic development plan for the Philippines, such that "by 2040, the Philippines shall be a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society where no one is poor."

In April 2019, Duterte enacted three anti-poverty landmark laws: the Magna Carta of the Poor, which aims to uplift the standard of living and quality of life of poor Filipinos; the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act, which institutionalized the 4Ps cash transfer program providing conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years; and the Community-Based Monitoring System Act, which authorized the government to adopt a community-based monitoring system (CBMS) that is to be established in every city and municipality to improve poverty analysis and monitoring in the country.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Duterte administration made strides in reducing poverty. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported in December 2019 that nearly 6 million Filipinos have been lifted out of poverty as the government boosted its spending on social welfare; the agency stated that from a 23.3% poverty incidence recorded in 2015, this had dropped to 16.6% in 2018. Administration efforts to further lower the poverty rate to a range between 15.5 to 17.5% by the end of 2022 were hampered when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, as the pandemic prompted the government to impose lockdown measures to contain the virus, leading to an increase in unemployment; the number of poor Filipinos rose from 22.26 million in 2019 to 26.14 million in early 2021 due to the pandemic. In June 2020, the administration began to ease lockdown to spur economic activity and address hunger and unemployment, distributing cash aid to millions of poor and low-income families during the lockdowns.

On May 21, 2021, Duterte signed a law extending the electricity lifeline rates for the poor for a period of 50 years.

Child welfare and protection

Duterte had enacted several laws seeking to protect minors from abuse and exploitation. He signed laws which criminalized child marriage, raised the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16, and required the government to provide special protection of children in armed conflict. In September 2019, he issued an executive order creating the National Council Against Child Labor tasked to intensify government efforts against child labor. He signed a law in May 2022 promoting the rights of abandoned children with unknown parents and recognizing them as natural-born Filipino citizens.

Duterte signed on January 10, 2022, a law simplifying and shortening the adoption process in the country; the law also established the National Authority for Child Care (NACC), which will handle all matters involving alternative child care.

Family planning

The Duterte administration had made strengthening of the Reproductive Health Law (RH) implementation part of its 10-point socio-economic agenda. The Law had not been implemented due to a temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court. On January 9, 2017, Duterte signed an executive order providing funds and support for modern family planning, and ordered the full implementation of the RH Law.

Duterte lamented the country's overpopulation and suggested couples to limit their children to three.

Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa program

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Bong Go proposed a long-term plan to decongest Metro Manila and promote development in other regions, reintroducing the Balik Probinsya program implemented by then President Benigno Aquino III; Duterte expressed support for the program. On May 6, 2020, Duterte issued an executive order institutionalizing the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) Program, which provides incentives such as transportation, livelihood assistance, cash aid, skills training programs, and low-cost housing to qualified beneficiaries wishing to return to their respective provinces.

Revised water concession agreements

Further information: Water crisis in Metro Manila

In March 2019, a water shortage crisis severely affected Metro Manila, causing the public to wait in long queues to collect water rations. Duterte ordered the review of the 1997 water concession agreements signed under the Ramos administration with privatized water companies Maynilad and Manila Water; Duterte argued that the concession agreements were onerous to both the government and the public. After a Singapore-based arbitration court in November 2019 ordered the government to pay billions of pesos to both companies as compensation for losses and damages resulting from rejected water rate hikes in 2015, Duterte threatened to sue the two firms for economic plunder and said the government will not pay a single centavo. Following the Department of Justice's discovery of 12 "onerous provisions" which left the government at a disadvantage, Duterte ordered Solicitor General Jose Calida and Finance secretary Carlos Dominguez III to craft a new water concession contract favorable to both the public and the government, and ordered the two firms to accept it or risk facing expropriation. The two firms agreed to waive the ₱10.8 billion refund from the government, and, in 2021, signed Revised Concession Agreements, which removed from the 1997 Water Concession Agreements the government non-interference clauses and the firms' authority to charge corporate income tax to consumers.

In January 2022, Duterte signed new franchises for Maynilad and Manila Water, allowing the two firms to continue operating for another 25 years. Under the new franchise laws, the President is allowed to temporarily take over and operate the firms during a period of war, rebellion, calamity, emergency, or disaster.

Pension hike and financial compensation

Duterte approved, in January 2017, a ₱1,000 increase in the Social Security System pension. In December 2018, he signed a law raising the monthly old-age pension of living Filipino veterans of World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War from ₱5,000 to ₱20,000.

Duterte signed, in January 2022, a law granting survivorship benefits to the surviving spouse and children of deceased retired prosecutors of the National Prosecution Service. In April 2022, Duterte enacted a law granting tax-free compensation to Marawi Siege victims; another law signed in the same month granted mandatory continuing benefits to all frontline workers during public health emergencies. Duterte signed a law, in May 2022, strengthening the Sangguniang Kabataan and granting monthly honoraria to barangay youth council officials. In June 2022, he allowed a bill granting additional benefits to solo parents and expanding its coverage, to lapse into law.

Gambling policy

See also: Chinese gambling workers in the Philippines

Duterte expressed disdain for gambling. Early in his term, he announced his intention to stop all online gambling operations in the country. In January 2018, he ordered the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to stop accepting new casino applications to prevent overcrowding in the gambling sector. In August 2018, he fired the entire board of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) for approving an onerous casino deal, ordering the Department of Justice to review the contract between NPF and Chinese casino operator, Landing Resorts Philippines Development Corp.; Duterte contended that the contract was disadvantageous to the government because of the low rental payment and very long lease involved.

Following China's request in 2019 for the Philippines to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) to support its crackdown on offshore gambling, Duterte said he was unwilling to ban POGOs due to the industry's contribution to the economy and warned online gambling operators in the country to pay their taxes.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Duterte said he was forced to allow online gambling activities to raise COVID-19 response funds. In August 2021, he lifted the ban on casinos he imposed in 2018 on Boracay Island following the island's rehabilitation, citing the need for funds to address the pandemic.

Calls for the suspension of e-sabong, or online cockfight, mounted following the disappearance of more than 30 cockfight enthusiasts since May 2021. On February 28, 2022, 23 senators filed a resolution urging the PAGCOR to suspend e-sabong operations until the cases of the missing enthusiasts are resolved. Duterte initially rejected calls to suspend e-sabong, stressing that the industry was generating revenue of approximately ₱640 million a month, which he said the government badly needed due to depleted funds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He ordered Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Eduardo Año to conduct a survey through the DILG to determine the social impact of e-sabong. On May 3, following Año's recommendation, Duterte ordered the termination of e-sabong operations, citing its social cost to the public.

Space

See also: Philippine space program

Recognizing the "urgent need to create a coherent and unified strategy for space development and utilization to keep up with other nations in terms of space science and technology", Duterte on August 8, 2019, signed a law creating the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), which will serve as the central government agency addressing all national issues and activities related to space and science and technology applications.

Telecommunications

See also: 2018 Philippine third telecommunications provider bidding

In his fifth state of the nation address in July 2020, Duterte warned the country's two major telecommunications companies, Globe Telecom and Smart Communications, to improve their services by December or risk facing closure. Duterte urged telecommunications firms to report local officials who may be trying to delay the approval of necessary permits for cell site construction, after the firms said that red tape and non-standardized requirements made it difficult for them to build towers. In compliance with Duterte's order, the Department of Interior and Local Government streamlined the application process for the construction of shared cellular sites, shortening it to 16 days; local government units also complied with Duterte's order. Since Duterte's warning, Globe Telecom and Smart Communications were able to improve their services. In February 2022, average fixed broadband download speeds rose from 7.91 Mbit/s to 82.61 Mbit/s, a 944% growth; average mobile internet speeds have also seen a 467% growth at 42.22 Mbit/s from 7.44 Mbit/s since the start of the Duterte administration.

Duterte (2nd from right) leads the awarding of the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to the Mislatel Consortium represented by businessman Dennis Uy (right) on July 8, 2019.

Duterte campaigned to break the telecom duopoly dominated by Globe and Smart, driven by the companies' poor mobile network services and internet speeds. A bidding was held in November 2018 to determine the prospective third major telecommunications service provider in the country, with Mislatel Consortium, led by Udenna Corporation and China Telecom, named as the provisional winner of the bid on November 7. Duterte formally awarded Mislatel Consortium, which was renamed to Dito Telecommunity, its certificate of public convenience and necessity in July 2019. On March 9, 2021, Dito Telecommunity made its commercial debut, becoming the Philippines' third telecommunications player; a law was subsequently signed by Duterte on May 18 granting Dito Telecommunity a 25-year franchise.

In March 2017, Duterte approved the National Broadband Program (NBP) developed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Despite meager budget, the DICT and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority successfully completed the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure, an ultra-high-speed information highway providing international submarine cables an alternative route to avoid the earthquake-prone Luzon Strait.

Duterte and his administration were embroiled in controversy following the ceasing of TV and radio broadcast operations of ABS-CBN, the largest media network in the country. Duterte expressed displeasure against the media network following the network's failure to air his political advertisements paid for by his campaign in 2016, and after the network, during the same period, aired Senator Antonio Trillanes' advertisements showing clips of Duterte cursing, uttering controversial rape remarks, and saying he was ready to kill. Duterte maintained that he would not allow the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to grant the media firm permit unless the firm pays its alleged tax deficiencies. In February 2020, a few months before its legislative franchise expired, ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak issued an apology to Duterte for failing to air his political advertisements, offering to return the remaining ₱2.6 million in advertisement funds; Duterte accepted the apology and told the media firm to just give the money to "any charitable institution of their choice", but distanced himself from the franchise renewal issue, stressing that he has no control over the House of Representatives as well as Solicitor General Jose Calida, who earlier filed a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court seeking to invalidate ABS-CBN's franchise due to alleged violation of the 1987 Constitution concerning foreign ownership of the media firm. Following the expiry of its legislative franchise on May 4, ABS-CBN ceased its broadcast operations the following day after the NTC issued a cease-and-desist order. On July 10, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises overwhelmingly denied in a vote of 70 to 11 the media network's application for a new 25-year franchise due to several issues concerning the dual citizenship of its chairman emeritus Eugenio Lopez III, possible violation of constitutional limits on foreign ownership, reported tax and labor violations, and allegations of biased reporting and political meddling, among others. The broadcast operations shutdown and the franchise renewal denial were condemned by opposition lawmakers, media groups, academic institutions, and church leaders; Calida, on the other hand, said the cease and desist order was "a triumph of the rule of law". Days after the legislative franchise denial, Duterte exclaimed "Without declaring martial law, I dismantled the oligarchy that controlled the economy of the Filipino people".

Duterte signed laws requiring the government to provide free internet access in public places, and allowing mobile users to keep their numbers for life even if they switch service providers. In March 2021, he issued an executive order liberalizing access of telecommunication companies to satellite services in an effort to improve the country's internet services. By March 2022, 7,977 WiFi operational sites in public areas nationwide were established under the Free WiFi for All program, while the completion rate of the first phase of the NBP was at 73.5%.

Tourism development

Under the National Tourism Development Plan (NDTP), the Duterte administration devoted $23 billion for infrastructure in the tourism sector which was to last throughout his presidential term. The NDTP sought to make the sector "not only sustainable and highly competitive in the region, but also socially responsible to propel inclusive growth." The Department of Tourism recorded an all-time high record number of 7.1 million foreign tourists to the Philippines in 2018, achieving the number despite premier destination Boracay being closed to make way for its rehabilitation. The 30th Southeast Asian Games gave a boost to Central Luzon's tourism industry, particularly in the Clark Freeport and Subic Freeport which hosted some sporting events. A total of 8.26 million international tourists visited the country throughout 2019, breaking not only the agency's own record but also exceeding the annual target under the NDTP.

In January 2021, the Department of Public Works and Highways reported that a total of ₱120 billion was allocated from 2016 to 2021 for the construction, improvement, and upgrading of about 4,147 kilometres (2,577 mi) of roads leading to declared tourism destinations, of which 2,168 kilometres (1,347 mi) were completed.

The tourism industry was severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, when tourist arrivals dropped to only 1.48 million in 2020 due to pandemic-related lockdowns to control the spread of the virus, and when Super Typhoon Odette ravaged tourism-dependent remote islands, including Siargao, in central and southern Philippines in December 2021.

The administration reopened the Philippines to international tourists starting February 10, 2022, after nearly two years of border closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and starting May 30, discontinued requiring RT-PCR tests of fully-vaccinated passengers upon arrival in the Philippines to boost the country's tourism sector.

Transportation

Duterte (center) leads the inauguration of the upgraded Ormoc Airport.

On June 19, 2017, the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) was launched by the Department of Transportation, with the goal of making the country's public transportation system modern, efficient and environmentally friendly. The program calls for the phasing-out of jeepneys and other Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs) that are at least 15 years old and replacing them with safer, more comfortable and more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Replacement vehicles are required to have at least a Euro 4-compliant engine or an electric engine to lessen pollution. Under the program, PUV operators with existing franchises are encouraged to consolidate into a "single legal identity" with at least 15 units. On June 28, 2019, the transportation department and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority jointly launched the Tsuper Iskolar program which provides scholarships and livelihood training to public transport drivers affected by the PUVMP.

Duterte campaigned to solve the long-standing traffic problem in Metro Manila, particularly in EDSA, requesting Congress to grant him emergency powers to bypass bidding procedures and hasten the resolution of right-of-way issues. At least three bills granting Duterte emergency powers were filed in the House of Representatives. The House approved a bill, but the bill did not progress in the Senate, prompting Duterte to later express disinterest and abandon his plan to solve the traffic issue. He cited the lack of support from Congress and insufficient time, and said that Metro Manila traffic is the legacy of Senator Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, whom he said supposedly blocked discussions on his emergency powers.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address in July 2019, Duterte ordered the clearing of obstructions on all public roads, instructing Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Eduardo Año to suspend mayors and governors who fail to comply with his order. Año said the clearing efforts will be similar to Manila mayor Isko Moreno's clearing initiatives in Manila, and gave mayors 60 days to clear illegal obstructions and illegally parked vehicles on all public roads and sidewalks. In October 2019, Año said that "based on the report from 1,246 LGUs, 6,899 roads around the country were cleared through the cooperation of the provincial, city and municipal governments", and only 97 local government units failed to comply with Duterte's order, which were given five days to explain their non-compliance.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, public transportation became severely limited due to government-imposed lockdowns to contain the virus. Following the clamor of biking commuters, the transportation department created protected bike lanes in major metropolises. By the end of Duterte's term in office, 563 kilometres (350 mi) of bike lane networks have been completed in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.

Duterte enacted laws extending the validity of driver's license from three years to five years, and granting students on all public utility vehicles a 20-percent fare discount to be availed of daily including on weekends and holidays. In April 2022, he allowed a bill regulating and developing the Philippines' electric vehicle industry to lapse into law.

The Build, Build, Build program, launched by the Duterte administration to improve mobility and connectivity between the Philippine islands, thereby spurring development, led to the construction and completion of infrastructure projects. By 2022, 40,080 kilometres (24,900 mi) of roads and 6,854 bridges have been constructed, maintained, widened, upgraded, and rehabilitated; 579 commercial and social tourism ports and 248 airport projects have been completed.

Other initiatives

Burial of Ferdinand Marcos

Main article: Burial of Ferdinand Marcos

Protesters against the burial of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani

Duterte declared his intention to allow the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos's remains to be moved and interred at Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes' Cemetery) because he was a president and a soldier, never mind a hero.

On November 18, 2016, Marcos was buried with full military honors at the Heroes' Cemetery, after the Supreme Court issued on November 8 a verdict allowing his burial at the cemetery. The burial sparked national outrage, especially among those who suffered human rights abuses under the Marcos regime; protests were continuously held from November 18 to 30. Vice President Leni Robredo, who opposed the burial, said the surprise burial showed the Marcos family acted "like a thief in the night"; Duterte, on the other hand, expressed hope for everyone to "find space in their hearts to forgive and set free those who have hurt or injured them".

Administrative division changes

Citing the need to prioritize funds for government programs and projects, Duterte signed an executive order in August 2017 revoking the executive order issued by President Benigno Aquino III in 2015 creating the Negros Island Region, effectively reverting Negros Occidental and the city of Bacolod to Region VI, and Negros Oriental to Region VII. In April 2019, he signed a law dividing Palawan province into three distinct provinces: Palawan del Norte, Palawan del Sur, and Palawan Oriental; however, the law failed to get majority of the votes in a plebiscite. Another law signed in May 2021 divided Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, which will be ratified in a plebiscite on September 17, 2022. In April 2019, Duterte signed a law renaming Compostela Valley to Davao de Oro, which was overwhelmingly ratified in a plebiscite.

Duterte signed a law amending the Local Government Code of 1991, easing conversion of municipalities to component cities, as long as the municipality earns ₱100 million for two consecutive years and has either a land area of at least 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi) or a population of not less than 150,000.

Foreign affairs

See also: List of international presidential trips made by Rodrigo Duterte

International trips made by Duterte during his presidency

The Duterte administration pursued an "independent foreign policy" of being "friend to all, enemy to none" that would reject any meddling by foreign governments, reiterating Article II, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution which states: "The State shall pursue an independent foreign policy. In its relations with other states the paramount consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and the right to self-determination." In September 2016, Duterte said: "We will observe and must insist on the time-honored principle of sovereignty, sovereign equality, non-interference and the commitment of peaceful settlements of dispute that will serve our people and protect the interests of our country."

Duterte made his first international trips as president to Vientiane, Laos and Jakarta, Indonesia on September 5–9, 2016.

ASEAN

Duterte joins other ASEAN heads of states, holding hands as a symbol of unity in Vientiane, Laos, September 7, 2016.

Duterte placed great importance on the Philippines' diplomatic relations with its Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbors. Following tradition, his first trips outside the country were to Laos on September 7 for the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Leaders Summit, Indonesia on September 9, Vietnam on September 29, Malaysia on November 9, Cambodia on December 13, Singapore on December 15, Thailand on March 17, and Myanmar on March 19.

In 2017, the Philippines was chair and host to the ASEAN summits, a series of diplomatic conferences centering on the ASEAN; the culminating event was held in Manila on November 10–14 (31st summit). Duterte and other ASEAN leaders signed the ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers, a landmark document that would serve as a framework in ensuring social protection of migrant workers in the ASEAN region, although the consensus was silent on the issue of undocumented workers.

China and United States

See also: China–Philippines relations and Philippines–United States relations

Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to the bilateral meetings at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, October 20, 2016

In his early days of presidency, Duterte made efforts to distance from the United States and forge closer relationships with China and Russia, particularly in the areas of trade and commerce. In his first visit to China in October 2016, Duterte announced his "separation" from the United States, which he later clarified as a "separation of a foreign policy" and not a severance of diplomatic ties, and declared a realignment of the Philippines with China. Duterte said he planned to review the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, stressing that the agreement does not bear the signature of the Philippine president. A month earlier, Duterte informed the United States that the upcoming annual Balikatan exercise would be the last. In May 2017, Duterte expressed interest in conducting joint military exercises between the Philippine Armed Forces and China's People's Liberation Army in Mindanao, particularly in the Sulu Sea.

Duterte made a conciliatory stance toward China in hopes of avoiding a war. In 2016, Duterte and Xi created the biannual Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea, a dialogue process allowing the two nations to peacefully manage disputes and strengthen their relations. In May 2017, Duterte disclosed that Chinese President Xi Jinping had threatened war if the Philippines tried to enforce the South China Sea Arbitration ruling and drill for oil in the West Philippine Sea.

Duterte also hoped that a non-confrontational approach to China will eventually lead to striking a deal on joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea to support his massive infrastructure program. During President Xi Jinping's first state visit to the country in November 2018, the Philippines and China have signed 29 agreements, which include a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on joint oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea, and cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative. In September 2019, Duterte disclosed that Xi Jinping has offered the Philippines a controlling stake in a gas deal in the Reed Bank if the Philippines sets aside the South China Sea Arbitration ruling.

In April 2017, Duterte ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines to occupy and fortify at least nine uninhabited islands in the South China Sea. He ordered the Philippine Navy to build structures on the Benham Rise to reassure the Philippines' sovereignty over the undersea region, following the sighting of Chinese survey vessels. A month later, he signed an executive order formally renaming the Benham Rise to the Philippine Rise.

Incidents of China's aggressiveness in the South China Sea made a huge impact on Duterte's friendly approach to China. In April 2017, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua said that Philippine plans to repair Thitu (Pag-asa) Island were 'illegal'. As early as December 2018 until 2020, China deployed hundreds of military vessels around Thitu Island to prevent the Philippines from upgrading the island runway and other structures. In April 2019, following a military report that at least 275 Chinese vessels had been monitoring around Thitu Island since January, Duterte gave a "word of advice" to China not to touch Thitu Island or he would send Philippine soldiers on a "suicide mission". In January 2021, China passed a law authorizing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels as needed, and in March, it moored 220 Chinese vessels which were believed to be manned by the Chinese military at the disputed Whitsun Reef. These incidents have induced Duterte to authorize foreign affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to submit several diplomatic protests.

Duterte with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, August 7, 2017

As early as June 2020, Duterte gradually distanced from China, according to a RAND Corporation defense analyst. After Duterte decided to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) in January 2020 when the US denied a visa for Senator Ronald dela Rosa due to dela Rosa's role as police chief during the Philippine anti-drug war, Duterte later postponed the termination in June 2020, in November 2020, and in June 2021; he cancelled the termination in July 2021, during U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's visit to the Philippines. In July 2020, Duterte allowed the Department of Foreign Affairs to demand China to recognize the South China Sea Arbitration ruling. During the 75th United Nations General Assembly in September 2020, Duterte made one of his strongest defenses of the Philippine victory in the arbitration case, an unexpected move that eventually earned rare praises from some of his key critics.

The Philippines affirms that commitment in the South China Sea in accordance with UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award. The Award is now part of international law, beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish or abandon. We firmly reject attempts to undermine it.

— Rodrigo Roa Duterte, 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 23, 2020,

Speaking at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Duterte again stressed the importance of the Philippines' arbitral victory against China's sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea, and said that no nation can undermine the sea ruling that favors the Philippines.

Duterte with U.S. President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting in Pasay City, November 13, 2017

The Philippines and the United States made efforts to reinvigorate relations, with the high-level visits of commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. John Aquilino, who affirmed the Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines, in August 2021, and Marine Corps Commandant David H. Berger in September. In September, foreign affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana met with their counterparts in the United States to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. In the same month, the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal was welcomed by Locsin citing that it can help balance the power in the Indo-Pacific region, although days after, Duterte expressed concern that the trilateral pact could provoke a "nuclear arms race". In December 2020, the Philippines received military equipment worth $29 million (₱1.4 billion) from the United States to boost the country's defense against external threats and terrorism.

Duterte (center) does a fist bump with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian during the ceremonial turnover of CoronaVac vaccines in Villamor Air Base, Pasay City on February 28, 2021.

China played an important role in the early months of the Philippines' fight against COVID-19. In February 2021, China became the first country to send the Philippines COVID-19 vaccines. Duterte disclosed that he personally requested President Xi Jinping for assistance in securing vaccines. Following criticism over vaccine procurement delays, Duterte used the VFA as a leverage to secure vaccines from the United States; in August 2021, he thanked the United States for its vaccine donations, which he said played a key role in his decision to keep the VFA.

On January 16, 2022, China donated to the Philippines ₱1 billion worth of non-combat military equipment, two days after the Philippines made a deal with India to buy the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to improve its coastal defense.

In March 2022, Duterte warned potential trouble may occur if the next Philippine administration chooses not to honor the MOU on joint exploration activities in the West Philippine Sea, after receiving a "reminder" from a man from China whom he did not identify. On June 24, however, six days before his term ended, Duterte ordered the complete termination of the planned joint oil exploration in the West Philippine Sea with China, with Locsin stating that three years have passed since the MOU was signed but the "objective of developing oil and gas resources so critical for the Philippines" has not been achieved.

Amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Duterte, in March 2022, pledged to open the country's "facilities" to American forces under the 1951 mutual defense treaty if the conflict "spills over" to Asia.

Russia

See also: Philippines–Russia relations

Duterte meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the APEC summit in Lima, Peru, November 19, 2016.

Philippine-Russian relations improved during Duterte's presidency. On November 20, 2016, Duterte met with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the sidelines of the APEC summit in Lima, Peru; Duterte has praised Putin's leadership skills and called him his "idol". Duterte said the Philippines could seek stronger diplomatic cooperation with China and Russia, as well as other countries, "to make the world more peaceful", while remarking that the Philippines is "not ready" for military alliances with China and Russia due to the Mutual Defense Treaty signed between the Philippines and the United States. The Russian government offered a strategic partnership with the Philippines and expressed openness to assist the Philippines in purchasing Russian-made weaponry.

Duterte (foreground, 2nd from left) during the ceremonial handing over of a batch of Russian military products to the Philippines on October 25, 2017

Duterte made his first state visit to Russia and met with Putin in May 2017 to finalize a defense cooperation agreement between the Philippines and Russia, but the visit was cut short when Islamic militants attacked Marawi. In October 2017, the Philippines and Russia signed an agreement on defense and technical cooperation, which included a sales contract for the purchase of defense articles with Russian state-owned company Rosoboronexport; Russia donated thousands of rifles, helmets and other military gear to the Philippines.

On October 2, 2019, Duterte made his second state visit to Russia to discuss about increasing security and defense cooperation. During the visit, Duterte received an honorary doctorate degree for international relations or foreign diplomacy from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations on October 5, 2019.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2021, Duterte and Putin held a teleconference and discussed about production and supply of coronavirus vaccines, defense, and trade opportunities; Duterte informed Putin about his plan to order 20 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine from Russia. On May 1, the initial doses of 15,000 Sputnik V vaccines purchased by the government arrived in the Philippines.

A few days after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the Philippines voted in favor of a United Nations resolution expressing "explicit condemnation" of the invasion. Duterte described Putin, whom he considers a friend, as "suicidal"; Duterte said that the Russian invasion deserved condemnation, but stressed that the Philippines would remain "neutral" on the issue. Amid rising global oil prices brought about by the invasion, in May 2022, Duterte disagreed with Putin's labeling of the invasion as a "special military operation", stressing that the invasion was instead a war waged against "a sovereign nation". A few days before he left office, Duterte approved his administration's cancellation of its earlier order of 16 Mil Mi-17 military helicopters from Russia for fear of possible United States sanctions amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Support for refugees

Duterte expressed willingness to accept refugees such as Rohingyas fleeing war and persecution in Myanmar, Afghan nationals fleeing Afghanistan to escape the Taliban's rule, and Ukrainian refugees. On September 9, 2021, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. confirmed that the Philippines has welcomed an undetermined number of Afghan refugees to the country since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan three weeks before; Locsin did not give details to the public for the refugees' safety and privacy.

On February 28, 2022, Duterte issued an executive order institutionalizing access to protection services for refugees, stateless persons, and asylum seekers.

Impeachment efforts

Main article: Efforts to impeach Rodrigo Duterte

On March 16, 2017, opposition lawmaker Gary Alejano filed an impeachment complaint against Duterte, citing thousands of deaths in Duterte's anti-drug campaign, alleged involvement as supposed leader of vigilante group Davao Death Squad, and allegations of graft and corruption. Alejano, on March 30, filed a supplemental complaint against Duterte over Duterte's alleged inaction and "defeatist stance" in the West Philippine Sea, Panatag Shoal, and the Benham Rise. On May 15, the House Justice Committee officially dismissed the charge by unanimous vote due to insufficiency in substance after Alejano admitted he had no personal knowledge of the supposed offenses as he had based his impeachment complaint on news reports and testimonies of witnesses.

Elections during the Duterte presidency

2019 mid-term election

Main article: 2019 Philippine general election

10 of 12 winning senators do Duterte's signature fist bump during their proclamation in Pasay City on May 22, 2019.

The 2019 mid-term elections was generally considered as a referendum on Duterte, who retained his high approval and trust ratings amid issues on his administration's war on drugs and other policies. Eight Duterte administration-backed candidates won Senate seats out of 12; opposition alliance Otso Diretso suffered a historic loss by failing to secure a single seat.

2022 general election

Further information: Ronald dela Rosa and Bong Go 2022 presidential campaigns

This section is an excerpt from Rodrigo Duterte § 2022 Philippine presidential election.[edit]

Duterte (left) endorsing Bong Go, who filed his certificate of candidacy for vice president on October 2, 2021

Duterte (right) during Sara's oath of office as vice president in Davao City on June 19, 2022

In an earlier June 8 interview with pastor Apollo Quiboloy on SMNI News Channel, Duterte stated that he "sees nobody deserving" to replace him as next Philippine President, but that he would either remain neutral or endorse a candidate. In June 2021, Duterte stated he may run in the 2022 Philippine presidential election as Vice President.

Critics raised the possibility of Duterte extending his term after he announced his candidacy for vice president. The PDP–Laban Cusi faction fielded former Philippine National Police chief and Senator Ronald dela Rosa as president, who was widely suspected to be a placeholder for Duterte's daughter, Davao City mayor Sara Duterte. On October 2, 2021, Duterte withdrew his candidacy and announced his retirement from politics, with long-time aide and Senator Bong Go replacing him as the vice presidential candidate.

On November 13, 2021, hours after Sara unexpectedly decided instead to run as vice president under the Lakas–CMD party, dela Rosa withdrew and was replaced by Go. Duterte later backtracked on his planned retirement and announced his plan to run for vice president as an expression of dismay for Sara's decision to settle for the vice presidential race when polls showed she was the preferred candidate for presidency. He later withdrew after deciding not to face his daughter in the vice presidential race, and instead announced his intent on running as senator, while endorsing a Go–Sara tandem.

Sara, however, decided to run in tandem with Bongbong Marcos, who announced his presidential candidacy. Go expressed his disinterest in the presidential position and said his heart and mind contradicted his actions. On December 14, 2021, hours after Go withdrew his candidacy for president, Duterte officially withdrew his senate bid.

Duterte remained influential before the national elections as several presidential candidates were open to his endorsement due to his high popularity. Allies of Duterte endorsed different candidates after the Cusi faction was left without a standard bearer following Go's withdrawal. The PDP–Laban Cusi faction endorsed presidential candidate Marcos, with some officials calling for Duterte to do the same. Duterte, however, insisted on endorsing only Sara as vice president and 17 senatorial candidates, and stressed that he will remain neutral, deciding not to endorse any presidential bet and prohibiting his Cabinet members from campaigning for any candidate to avoid suspicion that he will use public funds for his preferred successor's campaign and to prevent cabinet members from compromising their integrity. Duterte said the next president should be decisive, compassionate, a good judge of a person, and preferably, a lawyer, which a PDP–Laban official interpreted as a "virtual endorsement" for his rival, Vice President Leni Robredo, who also decided to run for president. In March 2022, Go said Duterte briefly met with Marcos and gave him advice on the presidency, but could not say whether Duterte gave Marcos an endorsement.

On May 5, 2022, Duterte created a transition committee led by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to oversee the transition of power to the next administration. According to analysts, Duterte's popularity was "inherited" by Marcos and Sara, who both won landslides in the election.

Approval ratings

This section is an excerpt from Rodrigo Duterte § Approval ratings.[edit]

SWS Net satisfaction ratings of Rodrigo Duterte (September 2016–June 2022)

Date	Rating
Sep 2016	+64
Dec 2016	+63
Mar 2017	+63
Jun 2017	+66
Sep 2017	+48
Dec 2017	+58
Mar 2018	+56
Jun 2018	+45
Sep 2018	+54
Dec 2018	+60
Mar 2019	+66
Jun 2019	+68
Sep 2019	+65
Dec 2019	+72
Nov 2020	+79
May 2021	+65
Jun 2021	+62
Sep 2021	+52
Dec 2021	+60
Apr 2022	+65
Jun 2022	+81

Duterte's approval rating has been relatively high throughout his presidency despite criticism and international opposition to his anti-narcotics drive. Two weeks into Duterte's presidency, on July 13, 2016, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) conducted the first survey on his presidency since his inauguration on June 30, where Duterte received an "excellent" trust rating of 79% among 1,200 adults nationwide. A week later, on July 20, Pulse Asia released a poll conducted on July 2–8 showing 91% of Filipinos trust Duterte, making him the most trusted official in the Philippines since 1999. Duterte's net satisfaction rating plunged to its lowest at 45% in July 2018, which recovered to 54% in September 2018, and 60% in December 2018.

Duterte finished the first half of his six-year term with a record net satisfaction rating of 68%. An SWS survey conducted in April 2019 puts Duterte's approval ratings at 79%, higher than any of his predecessors at this stage in their presidencies. Duterte earned an approval rating of 87% on a December 2019 survey conducted by Pulse Asia; this is credited to poverty reduction and the general success in hosting the 2019 SEA Games.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a Pulse Asia September 2020 "Ulat ng Bayan Survey" ("Report to the Nation Survey"), showed that 84% of Filipinos approve of the government's work to control the spread of the coronavirus disease and the government efforts in assisting those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic; the same survey showed that 92% of survey respondents said that Duterte has "done well" in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Duterte's approval rating rose to 60% in December 2021 higher than the 52% rating in September 2021, and slightly lower than the 62% rating in June 2021; the survey also noted higher net satisfaction among those vaccinated and those willing to get vaccinated.

Duterte retained his high approval and trust ratings toward the end of his term, according to a PUBLiCUS Asia survey conducted between March 30 to April 6, 2022; the survey showed 67.2% of the 1,500 respondents approved of Duterte's performance over the past 12 months, while only 15.2% disapproved. Another survey conducted in 2021 by WR Numero Research revealed that 54.59% of voters want soft continuity of the Duterte's policies, 29.57% want full continuity, while only 15.84% preferred change.

Duterte left office with his highest net satisfaction rating of 81%, according to an SWS survey held between June 26 to 29, 2022. A nationwide survey of 1,500 respondents conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia between June 16 to 22, during Duterte's last month in office, revealed that Duterte is the most popular post-EDSA president, receiving 75% approval of his performance during his six-year tenure, while only 10% expressed disapproval.

See also

• List of executive orders by Rodrigo Duterte
• List of international presidential trips made by Rodrigo Duterte
• List of major acts and legislation during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte
• Philippine War on Drugs
• Political positions of Rodrigo Duterte
• Protests against Rodrigo Duterte
• Rodrigo Duterte presidential campaign, 2016

External links

• Radio TV Malacañang's channel on YouTube
• President Rodrigo Duterte's Inaugural Speech. Radio TV Malacañang.
• Philippines President Duterte's report card: Why he remains popular