Duterte prefers male appointees
RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte prefers appointing men to government posts because they can take a barrage of orders and not complain.
PIn his speech in an event in Davao City on Friday night, Duterte explained his preference for male appointees, noting that there are some tasks that cannot be delegated to women.
“Ayaw kong babae. Gusto kolalaki kasi marami akong utos (I don’t like women. I prefer men because I have many orders). Suddenly I will just tell you “go to Marawi because nobody is supervising there. Mapagawamoba ‘yan sa babae? Ipasubo mo? (Can I ask that from a woman? Put her in harm’s way?),” the President said.
He added that there are positions meant for women, such as the top post at the Department of Tourism.
Duterte recently appointed Bernadette Romulo Puyat as Tourism secretary, replacing Wanda Teo.
“Ako nasanay ako salalaki. Pero ‘yung mga posisyon na di kailangan — tourism (I’m more used to men. But there are certain posts, such as the tourism portfolio, that are suited for women),” Duterte said.
Apart from Puyat, the other women in the Duterte Cabinet are Education Secretary Leonor Briones, acting Social Welfare Secretary Virginia Orogo, and National Anti-Poverty Commission Secretary Liza Maza.
The President had also appointed other women to top government posts, such as Gina Lopez as Environment secretary, Judy Taguiwalo as Social Welfare Secretary, and Vice President Leonor “Leni” Robredo as Housing secretary. The appointments of Lopez and Taguiwalo were rejected by the Commission on Appointments, while Robredo quit her Housing post.
Duterte has been criticized for his bias against women and for jokes and acts deemed inappropriate.
In one of his interviews, the President said he would not want a woman to become the next Ombudsman.
Recently, Duterte appointed a number of women in top positions in the judiciary, most recently Davao del Norte judge Dorothy MontejoGonzaga as new Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice.
Malacañang earlier announced the appointments of Emily Aliño Geluz as CA Associate Justice and Georgina Dumpit Hidalgo as Sandiganbayan Associate Justice.