Duterte’s rainbow Cabinet challenges Manila elite

The Straits Times

14 June 2016

Mr Barry Desker

Controversial comments made by Philippine president-elect Rodrigo Duterte have not dented his domestic support, but have attracted international attention and provided a one-dimensional view of him, wrote Mr Barry Desker, a Distinguished Fellow of the RSIS at NTU. His election signals a shift away from Manila-centred politics and an effort to reach out to hitherto marginalised sectors of Philippine society. By working out of Davao so far, Mr Duterte, who has named an eclectic, pro-business cabinet, is symbolically reminding Manila politicians that a political revolution is under way, and he intends to shift to a federal-parliamentary system and the Constitution will have to be revised.

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