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A GOVERNMENT “for the helpless, hopeless, defenseless.” A government “for the least, the last and the lost.”

If  inaugural speeches of Rodrigo Roa Duterte are to be the gauge, the first or the second would be in his inaugural speech as the country’s 16th President and the first from Mindanao to become head of state.

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Before Supreme Court Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes, Duterte raised his right hand and placed his left on his mother Soledad’s Bible, and said: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God.”

Exactly three years ago, on the seventh time he took his oath as mayor of Davao City, Duterte asked his constituents to “join me in sustaining not only this government of the people, by the people and for the people but also in creating a government for the least,  the last and the lost.”

But Duterte’s favorite is “a government for the helpless, hopeless, defenseless” and at the flagaising ceremony in Davao on Monday – his last as city mayor for 22 years – Duterte acknowledged these were the words that his father, Vicente, lived by as governor of the then undivided Davao and which he tried to live by, too, as mayor of Davao City.

Duterte’s inaugural speech, drafted by Davao city administrator Jesus Melchor Quitain, who also drafted the 2013 speech, was two and a half pages long.

Quitain said the general theme of the speech he prepared was the “change” Duterte promised during his campaign.

The final outcome of the speech was “collective na and per instruction na ni mayor,” said Christopher Lawrence Go, Duterte’s special assistant and head of the Presidential Management Staff.

Returning Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said he had “sent my suggested paragraphs” for the inaugural speech.

The inauguration, held at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of Malacanan Palace, had a guest list of 627.

Duterte arrived at the Palace in the morning and was welcomed by outgoing President Benigno Aquino III. He signed the guest book as Aquino’s last guest.

From there, Duterte and Aquino stepped out of the Palace for the departure honors for Aquino, after which he departed for his residence on Times Street, Quezon City while Duterte ascended the grand staircase as his predecessors did.

The program started with the singing of the National Anthem, followed by an Ecumenical Prayer, musical number by Duterte supporter Freddie Aguilar, reading of the resolution of Congress by Senate President Franklin Drilon, reiterating the May 30 proclamation of Duterte as winner in the May 9 elections, and the oath-taking. After he took his oath, Duterte signed his oath of office and delivered his inaugural address.

Full military honors were given Duterte at the Malacañan Palace Grounds.

Quitain, who met Duterte when the latter was his classmate in High School for one year at the Mindanao Colleges (now University of Mindanao; Duterte left after one year), said Duterte was among the “mischievous” in their class but when he met him again while he was in third year Law at San Beda and Duterte was in first year, “iba na ang kanyang outlook. He was no longer the mischievous fellow I knew.”

He said he could not have imagined that the mischievous Duterte would one day become President.

“Beyond my imagination. This is really destiny,” said Quitain, who has been asked by Duterte to join him in Malacanang. (carolyn o. arguillas of mindanews)

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