duterte era

Rodrigo Duterte's tenure as the 16th president of the Philippines began with his inauguration on June 30, 2016, following his landslide victory in the 2016 presidential election, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. Duterte's presidency spanned six years, ending on June 30, 2022. Duterte is the first president from Mindanao; the oldest person to be elected president of the Philippines, at age 71; and the first Philippine president to have worked in the three branches of the government. His election victory was propelled by growing public frustration over the tumultuous post-EDSA democratic governance, which favored political and economic elite over ordinary Filipinos.Duterte started a nationwide campaign to rid the country of crime, corruption, and îllégâl drugs. He implemented an intensified *****down on îllégâl drugs which significantly reduced drug proliferation in the country, but saw about 6,600 persons linked to the îllégâl drug trade killed as of July 2019, attracting international criticism. His administration withdrew the Philippines from the International Criminal Court following the court's launch of a preliminary examination into crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Duterte and other top officials of the war on drugs.
Duterte increased infrastructure spending and launched an ambitious infrastructure program. He initiated liberal economic reforms to attract foreign investors, and reformed the country's tax system through a comprehensive tax reform program. He took measures to eliminate corruption and red tape by establishing freedom of information under the executive branch and signing the Ease of Doing Business Act to create a better business environment. He granted free irrigation to small farmers and liberalized rice imports by signing the Rice Tariffication Law to stabilize rice prices.
Duterte implemented an intensified campaign against terrorism and communist insurgency. He signed a controversial law strengthening counterterrorism in the country, and oversaw the five-month long Battle of Marawi, declaring martial law throughout Mindanao and extending it for an additional two years; this marked the longest period of martial law in the Philippines since the fourteen-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos. He initially pursued peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) but cancelled all negotiations in February 2017 following New Peoples Army (NPA) attacks on soldiers, officially declaring the CPP-NPA a terrorist group. He created task forces to end local communist armed conflict and for the reintegration of former communist rebels. He enacted a landmark law establishing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and signed proclamations granting amnesty to former rebels.
Duterte signed free college education in all state universities and colleges, institutionalized the alternative learning system, signed the automatic enrollment of all Filipinos under the government's health insurance program, and ordered the full implementation of the Reproductive Health Law. He oversaw the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, implementing strict lockdown measures initially; this caused a 9.5% contraction in the country's GDP in 2020, followed by recovery to 5.6% in 2021 with the gradual reopening of the economy and the implementation of a nationwide vaccination drive.
Duterte has pursued an "independent foreign policy," seeking to improve relations with China and Russia while lessening the country's dependence on the United States, its traditional ally. He has adopted a cautious, pragmatic, and conciliatory stance towards China compared to his predecessor, and has set aside the previous government policy of using the Philippines v. China ruling to assert the Philippines' claims over the South China Sea and its islands.
Duterte has been described as a controversial and polarizing figure; his domestic approval rating remained relatively high throughout his presidency despite criticism and international opposition to his anti-narcotics drive.

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