Midterm assessment: Duterte mulls minor Cabinet changes

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is studying a possible Cabinet shakeup as he reaches the halfway point of his term, according to a source privy to the information.

The source, who requested anonymity due to lack of authority to speak to the media, said the President might announce the changes before his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), which is set for July 22.

The movement would depend on the performance of various departments in the last three years and how would they perform in the remainder of the President’s term, the source explained.

“Yung tinitingnan ni boss ‘yung next three years eh. Ang pinaka-importante sa kanya ‘yung ma-maintain ‘yung performance niya kasi ngayon ang ganda ng acceptability ng tao sa administration niya as a whole. Gusto niya i-sustain ‘yun,” the source said.

[What the boss is looking at is the next three years. It’s very important for him to maintain his performance, especially now that his administration as a whole is well accepted by the people. He wants to sustain that.]

Among the departments under examination is the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The source added that Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol might be transferred to the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

Piñol was previously rumored to be on his way out of the DA because of the country’s rice woes last year, which include the insufficient supply and high prices, and triggered a staggering spike in inflation.

MinDA is currently headed by lawyer Nathaniel Dalumpines as officer-in-charge.

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)