Duterte frustrated at red tape – Palace

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO (FILE)

President Rodrigo Duterte was just expressing his frustration at red tape and inefficiency in the bureaucracy, which foster corruption, when he said he wanted erring officials to kneel down before the public and promise to improve their service, Malacañang said on Saturday.

The President also said he wanted to “destroy the government” and replace it with a new system.

Mr. Duterte is an action man known for being a strong and decisive leader, presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said.

“The President’s remarks at the Davao Investment Conference therefore show his displeasure and impatience with the bureaucratic red tape and the slow delivery of services, which often become sources of government corruption,” Abella said.

What the President wants is a “proactive, ethical, efficient and systems-oriented government,” he said.

Speaking to businessmen on Friday, Mr. Duterte expressed his dissatisfaction with the government and his wish to replace it with something more efficient.

“I would like to destroy government itself,” he said.

“We can have less powers but more efficient organization. If there’s an ideal setup that we can follow, I’d be glad to destroy government and put in place something of a bureaucratic authority that would move by itself automatically without the need of an authority there and an authority here,” he added.

According to him, he kept on hearing reports that people transacting with the government were being asked to return repeatedly to the office and to provide numerous documents.

The President had already spoken of his desire for a more efficient government in earlier speeches.