‘Who would’ve thought leftists will be in the Cabinet?’

Incoming Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo. INQUIRER.net PHOTO

A DAY before President-elect Rodrigo Duterte formally assumes his post as the 16th President of the Republic, one of the members of his official family still cannot believe that she would live to see the day that the country will see leftists as heads of government agencies.

During the National People’s Summit, incoming Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, a victim of human rights violations during martial law, educator and activist, said: “Sino’ng mag-aakala na ang tulad namin ni Ka Paeng [Mariano] ay magiging miyembro ng Gabinete ng isang Presidente?”

The statement was met with cheers from about a thousand militant leaders who witnessed the presentation of the People’s Agenda for Change at UP Diliman in Quezon City.

Taguiwalo described Duterte’s act of offering Cabinet portfolios to the Left as an “extraordinary” opportunity.

“Pambihira ang ganitong pagkakataon na ang isang halal na Pangulo ay nag-extend ng kanyang kamay sa kaliwa, sa atin, para matulungan siya na isulong ang ating inaasam na pagbabago. Hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay may ganitong oportunidad. Alam yan ng mga sektor na pinanggalingan ko,” she said.

Aside from Taguiwalo, other leftists have been offered posts in the Duterte administration like Rafael Mariano as secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Joel Maglunsod as undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Taguiwalo and Mariano received the People’s Agenda from the militants.

The People’s Agenda for Change is divided into five topics: economic development; social policy; peace and human rights; governance and democracy; and foreign policy and sovereignty. AJH