It will be lonely and challenging at the top but President Aquino has advised his successor to always trust the Lord and do right by the people for effective governance.
The President recently gave his good counsel to incoming leader, Rodrigo Duterte, in dealing with challenges during his six-year term while promising to provide a “leg up” for the seamless transition of power next month.
“You will feel more and more alone the longer you’re there. You will have more and more complex problems that have to be dealt with and the public will say ‘yesterday,’” Aquino said in a recent interview with CNN Philippines when asked about his advice to his successor.
“But at the end of the day, I guess if you are focused on our people and you have trust in God, you follow your instincts, you will get to where you want to go,” Aquino added.
Duterte, the 71-year-old tough talking mayor of Davao City, is set to clinch the presidency after earning more than 15 million votes in the recent elections.
His resounding victory comes even after the President’s staunch campaign against his supposed dictatorial tendency and unclear campaign platform. Aquino, however, has accepted the election results, saying the voice of the people must be respected.
In the CNN interview aired last May 11, the President also pledged an orderly and effective transition to the next administration, that includes briefing them about the state of national affairs as well as helping out in the inaugural preparations.
“Part of the peaceful transfer of power is to say, ‘Look at these are things we have done, the idea is this, these are the components that still have to be done, these are things to look out and watch out in coming months, in coming years,’ assuming they are predisposed to listening to us,” Aquino said.
“When we get there, that’s a very important ceremony for the State, that there is that transition in power. We will ensure everything in our power to make it will be a memorable event, that it gives the incoming administration that leg up as they start governance,” he added.