Duterte camp vows women’s participation in admin

Presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The camp of presumptive president Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said it would ensure the role of women in the Duterte administration.

In a televised press conference, Peter Tiu Laviña, Duterte’s spokesman, said their transition team has tapped Sen. Pia Cayetano to help advise Duterte’s selection committee on the possible members of his cabinet.

Laviña said they sought Cayetano as an adviser “in view of the fact that we want to identify, get and select more women leaders to join the government.

Cayetano, who also joined Laviña during the press conference, said she was “very excited” to help the Duterte administration.

The outgoing senator, who was elected as Taguig representative, said the Duterte administration would be gender-sensitive.

“We will have a gender-sensitive administration,” Cayetano said.

The transition team of Duterte met on Wednesday to discuss a smooth transition of government from the Aquino administration.

READ: Duterte’s transition team meets

Laviña has said the transition committee would be composed of Duterte’s campaign officers, which include campaign manager Leoncio Evasco, assistant manager and executive assistant Christopher “Bong” Go, finance head Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez and lawyers Salvador Medialdea and Loreto Ata.

Laviña said he would also be a part of the team.

He said the group would coordinate with the team of Aquino.

Aquino has earlier assigned executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to be the government’s head of the transition team.

Christopher “Bong” Go, Duterte’s executive assistant, said Aquino called on Tuesday afternoon to extend his greetings to Duterte.

Aquino and Duterte, however, were not able to talk since Duterte was resting when Aquino called Go. CDG/rga

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