Sara Duterte-Carpio
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Sara Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio (, ; born May 31, 1978), commonly known as Inday Sara, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who is the 15th and current
vice president of the Philippines The vice president of the Philippines (, also referred to as ) is the second-highest official in the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the first in the presidential line of succession. The vice president is directly elect ...
. She is the third female vice president (after
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo (; born April 5, 1947), often referred to as PGMA or GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician who served as the 14th president of the Philippines from Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 2001 to 2010 ...
and
Leni Robredo Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; Gerona; born April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. She is the mayor-elect of Naga, Camarines Sur, having won the ...
), and the third vice president to come from
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...
, and the youngest vice president in Philippine history. A daughter of the 16th president
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...
, she previously served as the
mayor of Davao City The mayor of Davao City () is the chief executive of the government of Davao City in Davao Region, Philippines. The mayor leads the city's departments in executing ordinances and delivering public services. The mayorship is a three-year term and ...
from 2016 to 2022, and from 2010 to 2013. She was also Davao City's vice mayor from 2007 to 2010. Duterte graduated from
San Pedro College San Pedro College is a private, Catholic, research, coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Dominican Sisters of the Trinity in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. It was founded in 1956. It began as a school of n ...
, initially aiming to pursue a medical career. She attended classes in the College of Law of
San Beda College San Beda University () is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Order of Saint Benedict in San Miguel, Manila, Philippines. It was founded by the Benedictines in 1901. The main campus is situated ...
and eventually graduated in
San Sebastian College – Recoletos San Sebastian College–Recoletos (SSC-R), commonly known by its nickname Bastê, is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Order of Augustinian Recollects in Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is ...
. She was elected as Davao City's vice mayor in 2007, before eventually being elected as the city's mayor from 2010 until 2013, succeeding her father and becoming the youngest and the first female mayor of the city. After her first term ended, she took a brief hiatus, returning to politics in 2016 after being elected again as Davao City mayor and was reelected in 2019. During her second stint as mayor, she initiated the ''Byaheng DO30'' and Peace 911 programs in the city, as well as overseeing the city government's COVID-19 pandemic response. Duterte was also an influential figure in national politics during her father's presidency, forming alliances with several political parties and playing a key role in the ouster of
Pantaleon Alvarez Pantaleon Diaz Alvarez (born January 10, 1958) is a Filipino lawyer and politician serving as the Representative of Davao del Norte's 1st district since 2016, previously holding the position from 1998 to 2001. He served as the Speaker of the ...
as the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2018. Duterte ran for the vice presidency in 2022 under
Lakas–CMD Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats, abbreviated as Lakas–CMD and also known simply as Lakas, (and known as Lakas–Kampi until 2011) is a political party in the Philippines. Lakas–CMD is considered to be on the Centre-right politics, centre ...
, becoming the running mate of
Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. (, , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials BBM or PBBM, is a Filipino politician who has served as the 17th president of the Philippines since 2022. He is the second child ...
from the
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP; ) is a national political party in the Philippines. It is chaired by Bongbong Marcos, president of the Philippines, who won in the 2022 election. During the run-up to the 2022 general election, the UniTea ...
under the
UniTeam UniTeam was an electoral alliance in the Philippines formed to support the candidacies of Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte in the 2022 presidential and vice-presidential elections and their allies in the 2022 Philippine general election. The ...
alliance. Their ticket won in a landslide victory, becoming the first running mate pair to win together since
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, and the first to be elected by a majority since the establishment of the Fifth Republic in
1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. ** Spain and Portugal en ...
. Duterte became the vice president on June 30, 2022, and was
inaugurated In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inau ...
11 days earlier in Davao City. As vice president, Duterte concurrently served as the
secretary of education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
and as vice chairperson of an anti-insurgency task force (NTF-ELCAC) but resigned from both positions on June 19, 2024. Despite her initial electoral alliance with Marcos, political observers have noted her increasing absence from public appearances with the president correlating with a growing rift in the Marcos and Duterte political families. By late August 2024, she has openly admitted her regret to supporting Marcos in the presidential election, while Marcos himself later acknowledged that they have not spoken to each other since she handed in her resignation. On February 5, 2025, Duterte was
impeached Impeachment is a process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In Eu ...
by the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
after concerns were raised regarding her use of confidential funds and her assassination threat against President Marcos, his wife Liza and House Speaker
Martin Romualdez Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez (, born November 14, 1963) is a Filipino businessman, lawyer, and politician who has served as the 24th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, speaker of the House of Representatives since 2 ...
. She became the first sitting vice president, as well as the fifth official in Philippine history, to be impeached.


Early life and education

Sara Zimmerman Duterte was born at Davao Doctors Hospital in
Davao City Davao City, officially the City of Davao, is a City of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the List of Philippine cities and municipalities ...
on May 31, 1978. She is the second child to then-lawyer later president
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...
and flight attendant
Elizabeth Zimmerman Elizabeth Abellana Zimmerman-Duterte (born April 14, 1948) is the former wife of Rodrigo Duterte, the 16th President of the Philippines, and the mother of incumbent Vice President Sara Duterte. Early life Zimmerman was born on in Davao City ...
. Her great-grandfather was German American, having fled to the Philippines from the United States. Growing up in what she called a "broken family", she has spoken of her "love-hate relationship" with her father when she was a student due to her disapproval for his womanizing tendencies and late night habits. Once he left his wife Elizabeth in the 1990s, Sara stayed with her mother, and up to the time she was mayor, Sara considered her relationship with her father as "not very close". Despite this, Rodrigo considered Sara to be his favorite child, and placed high value on the education she and her brothers received. Duterte attended
San Pedro College San Pedro College is a private, Catholic, research, coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Dominican Sisters of the Trinity in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. It was founded in 1956. It began as a school of n ...
, majoring in BS Respiratory Therapy, and graduated in 1999; in her inaugural speech as
mayor of Davao City The mayor of Davao City () is the chief executive of the government of Davao City in Davao Region, Philippines. The mayor leads the city's departments in executing ordinances and delivering public services. The mayorship is a three-year term and ...
, Duterte said she originally wanted to be a pediatrician instead of a politician. She later took up a law degree from
San Beda College San Beda University () is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Order of Saint Benedict in San Miguel, Manila, Philippines. It was founded by the Benedictines in 1901. The main campus is situated ...
but transferred to the
San Sebastian College – Recoletos San Sebastian College–Recoletos (SSC-R), commonly known by its nickname Bastê, is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Order of Augustinian Recollects in Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is ...
, where she graduated in May 2005. In 2005, Duterte passed the
Philippine Bar Examination The Philippine Bar Examinations is the professional licensure examination for lawyers in the Philippines. The exam is exclusively administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines through the Supreme Court Bar Examination Committee. History ...
. She then worked for a few months as a court attorney at the office of
Supreme Court Associate Justice An associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States is a justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, other than the chief justice of the United States. The number of associate justices is eight, as set by the Judiciary Act of 1 ...
Romeo Callejo Sr.


Vice mayor of Davao City (2007–2010)

Sara's father Rodrigo had admitted to initially keeping his family members from entering "the messy and difficult world of politics", but by December 2006, he expressed that he would like for Sara to run as his running mate in the 2007 mayoral elections due to his concern for corrupt politicians taking over and ruining his legacy. Sara Duterte was elected vice mayor in 2007 with over 330,000 votes, defeating lone opponent Jeff Ho and succeeding Luis Bonguyan. Duterte served under her father for one term until 2010, and concurrently served as a regional officer of the National Movement of Young Legislators from 2007 to 2010. It was during this time when lawyer
Zuleika T. Lopez Zuleika Tanglao Lopez (born June 12, 1974), also known by the initials ZTL, is a Filipino lawyer and government official currently serving as the Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the Philippines, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice Pr ...
was first hired by Duterte to be a staff member of the city government, receiving the position of city council secretary. As vice mayor, Duterte's landmark project was 'Inday para sa Barangay', a whole-of-government approach servicing yearly in each of the city's barangays. It was later called the Caravan of Government Services when she transferred it to the Office of the City Mayor.


First term as mayor of Davao City (2010–2013)

In 2010, Duterte was elected mayor, becoming the first female mayor of the city, as well as being the youngest to have been elected, as she turned 32 years old just weeks after being proclaimed winner. She won over
House Speaker The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...
Prospero Nograles Prospero Rafael Castillo Nograles (October 30, 1947 – May 4, 2019, ) also known as "Boy" or "Nogie", was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the speaker of the House of Representatives from 2008 to 2010. He was the first speaker fr ...
, her father's political rival, in a lead of 200,000 votes in the 2010 elections. Nograles earlier filed a protest at the Commission on Elections in
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
questioning the results, stating that there was a conspiracy of local poll officials. Vowing to be "useful and to serve the country at all times", she assumed the post that her father Rodrigo held for over 20 years. After Duterte appointed
Zuleika T. Lopez Zuleika Tanglao Lopez (born June 12, 1974), also known by the initials ZTL, is a Filipino lawyer and government official currently serving as the Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the Philippines, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice Pr ...
as city administrator a few days into her term, her decision was challenged by the city council led by Rodrigo, then the vice mayor of Davao, who argued that Lopez was unqualified for the position. In response, Sara withdrew her request for the council's concurrence in Lopez's appointment and threatened to halt city hall's engagements with the city council, stating that the council "should learn to respect" her office as mayor. During her first term, she also served as officer in the National Executive Board of the League of Cities Philippines from 2010 to 2013. On December 2, 2010, President
Benigno Aquino III Benigno Simeon Aquino III (; born Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines ...
appointed her as Chairperson of the Regional Development Council (RDC) Region XI. She was the first woman to hold the position and the first to be appointed from the government sector since the reorganization of the council in 1986. As chairperson, she saw the growth of
Davao Region Davao Region, formerly called Southern Mindanao (; ), is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region XI. Situated at the southeastern portion of Mindanao, enclosing Davao Gulf, it comprises fiv ...
’s Gross Regional Domestic Product from 3.9 percent in 2011 to 7.1 percent in 2012. On July 1, 2011, Duterte gained national attention when she punched Abe Andres, a Davao City Regional Trial Court sheriff, over the demolition of shanties in Barangay Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr., Agdao, Davao City. She had earlier asked the court and the demolition team to delay the demolition. But Andres refused her request and pushed through with the violent demolition which made her furious. On July 11, Sheriffs Confederation of the Philippines Inc. filed a complaint against Duterte in connection to the incident. On June 28, 2012, almost a year after the incident, she publicly apologized to Andres and his family. By May 2022, Andres openly expressed his support for the Marcos-Duterte electoral team.


Policies

Duterte promoted the city as a tourism and investment destination, introducing the "Davao: Life Is Here" tagline to market the city in 2011.


Interim years (2013–2016)

Duterte decided not to seek re-election in 2013 to give way to her father Rodrigo. She also turned down her father's offer to run for representative of Davao City's 1st district.


Second and third term as mayor of Davao City (2016–2022)

Duterte ran again for the mayoralty post for Davao City in the
2016 elections Africa Benin Republic *2016 Beninese presidential election 6 March 2016 Cape Verde * 2016 Cape Verdean presidential election 2 October 2016 Chad * 2016 Chadian presidential election 10 April 2016 Djibouti * 2016 Djiboutian presidential ...
and won the position, succeeding her father for the second time. She had her older brother
Paolo Paolo is a masculine given name, the Italian language, Italian form of the name Paul (name), Paul. It may refer to: People Art * Paolo Abbate (1884–1973), Italian-American sculptor * Paolo Alboni (1671–1734), Italian painter * Paolo Anton ...
, and later Bernard Al-ag, as her vice mayors during this term. According to lawyer
Salvador Panelo Salvador San Buenaventura Panelo (born September 23, 1946) is a Filipino lawyer who served as President Rodrigo Duterte's Chief Presidential Legal Counsel (2016–2021) and Presidential Spokesperson (2018–2020). He was also the legal advise ...
, Duterte had been reluctant in running for mayor, wishing to stay away from politics and instead continue her legal practice, but was eventually convinced by her father. In her first year back as mayor, the Davao City bombing took place on September 2, 2016, with Duterte's private nurse Kristia Bisnon, who accompanied Duterte during hospital checkups in July for her pregnancy with triplets, among the victims who perished. Three days later, Duterte's doctor informed her that she had a miscarriage with two of her three fetuses, which she revealed during a speech on September 8, 2016. She ran for re-election in the
2019 elections The following elections were scheduled to occur in 2019. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems has a calendar of upcoming elections around the world, and the National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections in cou ...
and was successful. After her father won in the 2016 presidential election, Duterte launched the "Tapang at Malasakit" () movement composed of Duterte supporters and allies on October 23, 2017. On February 23, 2018, she launched a new regional party called
Hugpong ng Pagbabago Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP; ) is a regional political party and former political alliance in the Philippines. Formed in 2018 by Sara Duterte, the party was established in support of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, and was the admini ...
(HNP). The party was later approved on July 4, 2018, ahead of the 2019 general elections. HNP also stood as an electoral alliance, fielding candidates from different parties for the senatorial election. Nine out of 13 senatorial candidates won in the election. Following the creation of HNP, a feud began between Duterte and one of her father's allies, then
House Speaker The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...
Pantaleon Alvarez Pantaleon Diaz Alvarez (born January 10, 1958) is a Filipino lawyer and politician serving as the Representative of Davao del Norte's 1st district since 2016, previously holding the position from 1998 to 2001. He served as the Speaker of the ...
, citing its formation as an example of the entrenchment of political dynasties in the country. In response, Duterte publicly berated Alvarez and alleged that he has been calling mayors in the
Davao Region Davao Region, formerly called Southern Mindanao (; ), is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region XI. Situated at the southeastern portion of Mindanao, enclosing Davao Gulf, it comprises fiv ...
to tag her as part of the opposition and brag about having the ability to impeach her father, all of which Alvarez denied. Duterte also remarked that "the Philippines will be a better country if he is not Speaker." Months later, Alvarez was unseated as the House Speaker in the 17th Congress, with former president and Pampanga's 2nd district representative
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo (; born April 5, 1947), often referred to as PGMA or GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician who served as the 14th president of the Philippines from Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 2001 to 2010 ...
taking his place. According to her father, she was behind the ousting of Alvarez as speaker, stating that "honest to God, it was Inday who maneuvered it."


Policies

During her second stint as mayor, Duterte initiated ''Byaheng DO30'', consisting of 30 projects addressing ten priority sectors which include "education, health, poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, solid waste management and environment, agriculture, investment and tourism, traffic and transport management, disaster risk reduction and management, and peace and order". Duterte also established the Peace 911 program to address the local communist rebellion through a "human-centered" approach, bringing several government services to far-flung areas. The program was first implemented in the Paquibato district before being expanded to other barangays. Her administration also established the Kean Gabriel Hotline for reporting child abuse anonymously. As Davao City mayor, Duterte garnered an approval rating of 93% according to an independent survey by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation, exceeding her father's highest approval rating when he was mayor at 86% in 2010, and getting the highest rating throughout the country.


COVID-19 pandemic response

In early 2020, the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
reached the city. In response, Duterte created a city task force for COVID-19 and other public health emergencies and instituted several measures to limit the spread of the disease and address the crisis. The city government cancelled several citywide events, ordered the closure of several establishments, and restricted travel and movement in the city. To aid residents affected by the restrictions, the local government provided food packs; most of the city's
Bayanihan Communal work is a gathering for mutually accomplishing a task or for communal fundraising. Communal work provided manual labour to others, especially for major projects such as barn raising, "bees" of various kinds (see below), log rolling, and ...
grant was spent on the purchase of food packs distributed to the city's barangays and for medical workers. Travel restrictions were eased as the number of cases lowered. The local government also established COVID-19 testing centers and isolation facilities. Her administration also oversaw the city's COVID-19 vaccination program when the national government began its vaccination program in early 2021.


2022 vice presidential election

Duterte was considered by many political commentators as her father's successor after her role as a power broker in the 2019 midterm elections. On July 7, 2021, the
People's Reform Party The People's Reform Party (PRP) is a political party in the Philippines. Founded on April 12, 1991, as the political party of former Agrarian Reform Secretary Miriam Defensor Santiago for her bid as president in the 1992 Presidential Election ...
(PRP) signaled their support early on for Duterte's potential presidential run, with Duterte stating two days later that she was open to running for president. On September 9, she said she would not, since her father, the sitting president, would run for vice president, and they agreed that only one should run for a national position. However, he did not file his candidacy for vice president by October 2, but she did not file a candidacy for any national position, running instead for reelection as mayor of Davao City. She later withdrew her candidacy for reelection as Davao City mayor on November 9. Her brother
Sebastian Sebastian may refer to: People and fictional characters * Sebastian (name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Saint Sebastian, a Christian saint martyred in the 3rd century * Sebastian of Portugal (1554–1578 ...
, incumbent vice mayor of Davao City, ran in her stead. On November 11, she resigned from Hugpong ng Pagbabago and joined
Lakas–CMD Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats, abbreviated as Lakas–CMD and also known simply as Lakas, (and known as Lakas–Kampi until 2011) is a political party in the Philippines. Lakas–CMD is considered to be on the Centre-right politics, centre ...
in
Silang, Cavite Silang (), officially the Municipality of Silang (), is a municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 295,644 people. The name of Silang (originally called ''Silan'') originates fr ...
. There, she sponsored the wedding of Jed Patricio and Gianna Revilla, the daughter of party chairman and senator
Bong Revilla Ramon Bautista Bong Revilla Jr. (; born Jose Mari Mortel Bautista; September 25, 1966) is a Filipino actor, director, producer, television presenter and politician serving as a Senate of the Philippines, senator since 2019, and previously from ...
. Six days later, she became the chairperson of Lakas–CMD, succeeding Revilla. On November 19, she rejoined Hugpong ng Pagbabago as its chairperson.


Candidacy and campaign

On November 13, she filed her candidacy for
Vice President of the Philippines The vice president of the Philippines (, also referred to as ) is the second-highest official in the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the first in the presidential line of succession. The vice president is directly elect ...
under Lakas–CMD for the 2022 Philippine vice presidential election. She said this was to meet her supporters halfway, who had been previously asking her to run for president, and credited Senator
Imee Marcos Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios "Imee" Romualdez Marcos-Manotoc (; born November 12, 1955) is a Filipino politician and film producer serving as a Senate of the Philippines, senator since 2019. She previously served as governor of Ilocos Norte ...
with convincing her to run for the position. She was then adopted and endorsed by
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP; ) is a national political party in the Philippines. It is chaired by Bongbong Marcos, president of the Philippines, who won in the 2022 election. During the run-up to the 2022 general election, the UniTea ...
as the running mate of former senator
Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. (, , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials BBM or PBBM, is a Filipino politician who has served as the 17th president of the Philippines since 2022. He is the second child ...
, and soon afterwards was endorsed by the PRP. Their alliance was named
UniTeam UniTeam was an electoral alliance in the Philippines formed to support the candidacies of Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte in the 2022 presidential and vice-presidential elections and their allies in the 2022 Philippine general election. The ...
. Duterte became the vice president-elect, winning the election with 32,208,417 votes with a margin of 22 million over her closest rival, Senator
Francis Pangilinan Francis Pancratius "Kiko" Nepomuceno Pangilinan (; born August 24, 1963) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and farm owner who is a Senate of the Philippines, senator-elect of the Philippines. He previously served as senator from 2001 to 2013 a ...
. She became the first vice president to be elected by a majority since the
1986 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1986. Africa * 1986 Angolan legislative election * 1986 Gabonese presidential election * 1986 Mozambican general election * 1986 Sierra Leonean parliamentary election * 1986 Somali presidential electio ...
and the largest majority since
1969 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 2nd millennium, the 69th year of the 20th century, and the ...
. She also earned the most votes for any office in a single-winner election in Philippine history. She was also the first vice president from Davao City, the youngest to become vice president at the age of 44, the third woman to hold the post after Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and
Leni Robredo Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; Gerona; born April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. She is the mayor-elect of Naga, Camarines Sur, having won the ...
, the third vice president who is a child of a president after
Salvador Laurel Salvador Roman Hidalgo Laurel (, November 18, 1928 – January 27, 2004), also known as Doy Laurel, was a Filipino people, Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the Vice President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992 under President Cor ...
and Arroyo, the third vice president to come from
Mindanao Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...
after
Emmanuel Pelaez Emmanuel Neri Pelaez (November 30, 1915 – July 27, 2003) was a Filipino public servant and politician who served as the 6th Vice President of the Philippines from 1961 to 1965. Early life and career Pelaez was born in Medina, Misamis (now pa ...
and
Teofisto Guingona Jr. Teofisto "Tito" Tayko Guingona Jr. (born July 4, 1928) is a Filipino politician and diplomat who served as the 11th vice president of the Philippines from 2001 to 2004, during the first term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Born in San ...
, and the fourth Cebuano-speaking vice president overall (after
Sergio Osmeña Sergio Osmeña Sr. (, ; zh, c=吳文釗, poj=Gô͘ Bûn-chiau; September 9, 1878 – October 19, 1961) was a Filipino people, Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the List of presidents of the Philippines, fourth president of the Ph ...
,
Carlos P. Garcia Carlos Polestico Garcia (; November 4, 1896 – June 14, 1971), often referred to by his initials CPG, was a Filipino teacher, poet, orator, lawyer, public official, political economist, guerrilla and Commonwealth military leader who was the ...
, and Pelaez). She and Marcos were also the first presidential ticket to win together since the 2004 elections.


Vice presidency (2022–present)

Before her inauguration, on May 11, 2022, Marcos announced that Duterte agreed to join his cabinet as
Secretary of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
, although she earlier expressed interest in becoming the
Secretary of National Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...
. According to Duterte, she chose to become the Education secretary instead to avoid "intrigues" about her loyalty to the administration. She was inaugurated in Davao City on June 19, 2022, but only officially started her term on June 30 in accordance with the constitution. At her request, the oath-taking, which was the first in Mindanao for a vice president, was administered by
Associate Justice An associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some ...
Ramon Paul Hernando Ramon Paul Layugan Hernando (born August 27, 1966) is a Filipino judge who has served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines since 2019. He was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to succeed retiring justice Samuel Mar ...
, her former professor at
San Beda College of Law San Beda College of Law is the law school of San Beda University, a private, Roman Catholic university run by the Benedictine monks in the Philippines.Directory of Higher Education Institutions, Commission on Higher Education, 2006-2007. The mai ...
.


Programs and policies

In her first day as the vice president, Duterte established satellite offices for the Office of the Vice President (OVP) in
Cebu City Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 964,169 people, making ...
,
Dagupan Dagupan , officially the City of Dagupan (, , ), is a 2nd class independent component city in the Ilocos Region, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 174,302 people. Located on Lingayen Gulf on the northwest-central ...
,
Davao City Davao City, officially the City of Davao, is a City of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the List of Philippine cities and municipalities ...
,
Tacloban Tacloban ( ; ), officially the City of Tacloban (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city on Leyte island in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, Tacloban has a popu ...
,
Tandag Tandag, officially the City of Tandag (Surigaonon language#Tandaganon, Tandaganon/Surigaonon language, Surigaonon: ''Siyudad nan Tandag''; cebuano language, Cebuano: ''Dakbayan sa Tandag''; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classificatio ...
, and
Zamboanga City Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (; ; Subanen languages, Subanen: ''Bagbenwa Sembwangan''; Sama–Bajaw languages, Sama: ''Lungsud Samboangan''; ; ; ) is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city i ...
. The seat of the Office of the Vice President would then be transferred from
Quezon City Reception House The Quezon City Reception House is a reception house built and owned by the government of Quezon City to accommodate visiting dignitaries. It was built on the lot of the uncompleted and controversial Boracay Mansion. It was previously occupied by ...
to Cybergate Plaza in
Mandaluyong Mandaluyong ( ; ), officially the City of Mandaluyong (, ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly-urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popula ...
, which is closer to the headquarters of the
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
(DepEd) in
Pasig Pasig, officially the City of Pasig (), is a highly-urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 803,159 people. It is located along the eastern border of Metro Mani ...
where she also held office as its secretary. On August 3, 2022, Duterte, alongside the Department of Transportation, launched the Libreng Sakay Program () of the OVP, providing free rides as an effort to de-congest the roads during peak hours. It initially launched five buses bestowed by the department, deploying two in
Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...
(plying the
EDSA Carousel The EDSA Carousel, also known as Route 1 and formerly and still referred to as Route E, is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system, part of several bus routes in Metro Manila. It is situated along EDSA ( C-4 Road) and other roads, running on a dedic ...
route) and one each in
Bacolod Bacolod, officially the City of Bacolod (; ; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Negros Island Region in the Philippines. With a total of 600,783 inhabitants as of the 2020 census, it is th ...
,
Cebu Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
(plying
Mandaue Mandaue (), officially the City of Mandaue (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 364,116 people. ...
,
Lapu-Lapu City Lapu-Lapu, officially the City of Lapu-Lapu (; ), is a highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 497,604 people. It was formerly known as Opon, which was ch ...
, and Cebu City), and Davao City. On October 9, 2022, the OVP, in collaboration with the DepEd and the
Department of Health A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their o ...
, began deploying "Kalusugan Food Trucks" () in select areas nationwide to address malnutrition among school children, wherein the trucks regularly stop at identified schools and institutions with malnutrition and hunger problems among children, with the project following a 120-day feeding program menu recommended by the DOH's National Nutrition Council. On March 9, 2023, Duterte launched the "Mag Negosyo Ta 'Day" program which aims to financially support women and LGBTQIA+ members, alongside other marginalized sectors, by facilitating a business-friendly environment and encouraging the growth of micro, small, and medium enterprises. The program was adopted by the OVP from Duterte's similar initiative during her tenure as mayor of Davao City. Following her designation as the co-vice chairperson of the
National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) is a task force organized by the government of the Philippines in 2018 as part of its " Whole-of-Nation approach" to respond to and raise awareness about ongoing communist ...
(NTF-ELCAC) on May 11, 2023, she issued a warning to communist rebels and said the rebels' "so-called protracted war" must end. On May 29, Duterte kicked off a nationwide distribution of one million bags containing school supplies and dental kits as well as the planting of one million trees under the OVP's “PagbaBAGo: A Million Learners and Trees” program in partnership with DepEd and the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR; ) is the Executive Departments of the Philippines, executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the conservation, management, development, and proper use of the cou ...
. As of October 2023, a total of 64,860 PagbaBAGo bags were distributed by the OVP to school children and planted 178,167 trees. From July 2022 to October 2023, Duterte's OVP was able to provide worth of medical assistance to 106,958 beneficiaries, with the office's burial assistance program providing worth of assistance to 22,470 families. Within the same time period, the office's Libreng Sakay Program served 523,263 commuters in Metro Manila, 89,605 commuters in Bacolod City, 60,409 commuters in Davao City, and 99,633 commuters in Cebu City. The OVP's Disaster Operations Center also conducted 162 relief operations and extended assistance worth to 115,045 families in times of disasters and calamities.


Foreign trips

Duterte visited Japan on September 26–27, 2022 as the Philippines' representative to the
state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...
of former Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe (21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. ...
. During her visit, she conducted several education-related activities as she visited an elementary school in Japan and met with officials from the
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology The , also known as MEXT, is one of the eleven ministries of Japan that compose part of the executive branch of the government of Japan. History The Meiji period, Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871. In January 2001 ...
. Duterte also met with several Japanese officials and paid a courtesy call on Japanese Prime Minister
Fumio Kishida Fumio Kishida (born 29 July 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party ( LDP) from 2021 to 2024. He has been a member of the House of Representatives in the National Diet ...
. In line with her duties as president of the
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization The Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is an intergovernmental organization of the eleven Southeast Asian countries, which was formed on 30 November 1965 by the Kingdom of Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailan ...
, Duterte visited
Brunei Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with ...
in June 2023 wherein she met with the crown prince
Al-Muhtadee Billah Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Hassanal Bolkiah (Jawi script, Jawi: ; born 17 February 1974) is the eldest son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife Queen Saleha. He is the Crown Prince of Brunei, Brunei Darussalam, and is first in the line of succ ...
, the education minister Romaizah Salleh, and some
overseas Filipino workers Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) is a term often used to refer to Filipino migrant workers, people with Filipino citizenship who reside in another country for a limited period of employment. The number of these workers was roughly 1.77 million ...
. On June 13–14, Duterte visited Singapore wherein she met with President
Halimah Yacob Halimah binte Yacob (born 23 August 1954) is a Singaporean politician and lawyer who held the office of the eighth president of Singapore from 2017 to 2023, making her the first woman to serve in this role. A former member of Singapore's long ...
, Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong Lee Hsien Loong (born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former military officer who served as the third Prime Minister of Singapore, prime minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2024, thereafter serving as a Senior Minister of S ...
, and other officials to discuss the strong bilateral relationship between both countries. Vice President Duterte also visited the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Language Centre. Duterte then paid an official visit to
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
in September 2023 in order to serve as keynote speaker at the Global Education and Innovation Summit where she spoke about the disruption caused by the pandemic as well as the uncertainties posed by the boom of artificial intelligence. Afterwards, she met with South Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister
Lee Ju-ho Lee Ju-ho (; born 17 February 1961) is a South Korean economist who served as the acting president of South Korea from May to June 2025 and has served as the acting prime minister of South Korea since May 2025. He has also served as the deputy ...
to discuss opportunities for cooperation in learning advancements. In February 2024, Duterte visited
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
and met with Malaysian Minister of Education
Fadhlina Sidek Fadhlina binti Sidek (Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ; born 16 October 1977) is a Malaysians, Malaysian politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister of Education (Malaysia), Minister of Education in the Unity Government administration under Prime ...
and Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Fadillah Yusof.


Secretary of Education (2022–2024)

As the concurrent Education Secretary, Duterte was responsible for planning further the transition to the resumption of mandatory face-to-face classes at all basic education schools in the Philippines, which was put on hold since 2020 due to the risks brought out by the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, for the school year 2022–2023. She issued her first department order, the Department Order No. 034 dated July 11, 2022, wherein schools may either opt for five-day in-person classes or blended modality from the opening of classes on August 22 to October 31 before shifting to mandatory in-person classes observing
physical distancing Physical may refer to: *Physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, clinical examination, or medical checkup, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a Disease, medical co ...
when necessary by November 2 onwards. She also declared that school uniforms and vaccination among students would be optional for the upcoming school year. She also mulled institutionalizing
blended learning Blended learning or hybrid learning, also known as technology-mediated instruction, web-enhanced instruction, or mixed-mode instruction, is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction onli ...
only in select schools and areas with special circumstances, including schools with possibly unrepaired or unfinished buildings. Earlier, before taking office, Duterte also called the reinstatement of the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), which would later gain more support especially from legislators and government officials. On November 25, 2022, Duterte established the Learner Rights and Protection Office (LRPO) under DepEd and launched its Telesafe Contact Center Helpline to address child abuse and strengthen child protection. On January 20, 2023, Duterte presented the “current state” of the country's basic education through the Basic Education Report (BER) 2023, wherein she identified the challenges faced by the department when it came to the delivery of basic education and outlined the plans that are set to be implemented by the department. As the Secretary of Education, Duterte was elected as the President of the
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization The Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) is an intergovernmental organization of the eleven Southeast Asian countries, which was formed on 30 November 1965 by the Kingdom of Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailan ...
(SEAMEO) succeeding Singapore's Education Minister, Chan Chun Sing, on February 8, 2023, during the 52nd SEAMEO Council Meeting held in Manila. To maintain a learning-focused environment and ensure teachers are not burdened with non-work-related matters, in March 2023, Duterte signed a department order prohibiting teachers from joining volunteer work and extracurricular activities during school hours. In May that year, she said she intended to include mandatory
scouting Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...
in the K-12 curriculum for young Filipino boys to instill in them an enduring love for the country. In July 2023, Duterte signed a department order starting a National Learning Recovery Program designed to improve students’ numeracy and literacy and strengthen the education sector's learning recovery.In August 2023, DepEd launched a new "less congested" and revised version of K–12, called the " curriculum". This version of the K–12 reduced the learning areas for students from seven to five and removed Mother Tongue as a separate subject; it also emphasized a "" learning area to instill Filipino identity and
nationalism Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation, Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Theory, I ...
among students. It will be implemented in phases from 2024 to 2028 on Kinder and Grades 1 to 10. The curriculum pilot implementation was well received by teachers, students, and parents. The ''Matatag'' Agenda and the Basic Education Development Plan 2030 as formulated by the DepEd under Duterte was later approved by President Marcos as the national policy and plan for basic education on April 27, 2024. In September 5, 2023, Duterte announced that school teachers nationwide would have a 30-day straight break without volunteer work for the School Year 2023–2024. In the same month, the DepEd also signed a memorandum of agreement with the
Government Service Insurance System The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS; ) is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) in the Philippines that serves ''de jure'' government employees. Established by Commonwealth Act No. 186 and Republic Act No. 8291 (the G ...
(GSIS) establishing more express lanes in all GSIS offices for teachers and DepEd personnel. Following reports citing the Commission on Audit which flagged DepEd for failing to remit nearly P5 billion in premium contributions and loan amortizations to the GSIS in 2022, DepEd stated in December 2023 that it has conducted reconciliation activities with the GSIS regarding its balance at all levels of the department. Other reforms implemented by Duterte as education secretary was the establishment of a procurement strand within the department to streamline service delivery and resource acquisition, as well as the creation of a school infrastructure and facilities strand to tackle the shortage of classrooms and equipment, which resulted in the construction of 2,201 classrooms, 45 Last Mile School classrooms, and 880 health facilities by the end of 2023, although this fell short of the 5,000 to 6,000 classroom target previously set by the department for the year. She had also signed a memorandum of agreement with non-profit organization Go Negosyo in November 2023 to teach Filipino youth about business and agriculture through various programs. Under her tenure, DepEd also aimed to enhance the digital infrastructure of schools. Satellite internet was provided to 2,000 schools, while 25 schools were selected for
Starlink Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, an international telecommunications provider that is a wholly owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to around 130 countries ...
connections as of 2023. The DepEd also introduced "Digital Education Learning Carts" and mobile computer labs equipped with laptops, charging carts, and
Smart TVs A smart TV, also known as a connected TV (CTV or, rarely, CoTV), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features that allow users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart TV ...
. However, the budget for the department's Computerization Fund remained underutilized, with only billion being obligated out of the billion allocation in the 2023 budget. Additionally, only billion out of billion allocated for computers, laptops, and television sets had been utilized. Thousands of laptops intended for personnel were also not delivered. By 2023, the ratio between the number of teachers for each computer remained at 1 to 30, while the student to computer ratio was 1 to 9. Under Duterte's leadership, the Philippines ranked bottom among 64 countries in the creative thinking assessment of the
Programme for International Student Assessment The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a worldwide study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in member and non-member nations intended to evaluate educational systems by measuring 15-year ...
(PISA), with a mean score of 14, compared to the global average of 33. The assessment for which the rankings are based on were done in May 2022, before she took office as education secretary. Duterte said that the results revealed an “uncomfortable truth” about the state of country’s education system, but that efforts were in place to improve future PISA results. On January 25, 2024, Duterte delivered her second BER. The following day, Duterte signed a department order which removed administrative tasks from teachers’ workloads with the aim of enabling teachers to maximize their time in actual classroom teaching. This was then augmented by the signing of an additional order on April 30 which limited teachers' work hours to eight hours a day, six of which are devoted to actual classroom teaching while the remaining two is reserved for ancillary tasks. On May 10, 2024, the DepEd signed a Joint Memorandum Circular with the
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA ; ) serves as the technical vocational education and training (TVET) authority of the Philippines. As a government agency, TESDA's goals are to develop the Filipino workforce with ...
(TESDA),
Commission on Higher Education The Commission on Higher Education (CHED; ) is a government agency under the Office of the President of the Philippines. It is responsible for regulating and governing all higher education institutions and post-secondary educational programs i ...
(CHED), and
Department of Labor and Employment A ministry of labour ('' UK''), or labor ('' US''), also known as a department of labour, or labor, is a government department responsible for setting labour standards, labour dispute mechanisms, employment, workforce participation, training, and s ...
(DOLE) for the country's senior high school graduates to be provided with free national certification assessments, the accreditation of DepEd senior high schools as assessment centers, along with the training and certification of technical vocational livelihood (TVL) teachers as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) competency assessors, as a means of boosting the employment opportunities of the country's senior high school students. Amid a worsening rift between the Marcos and Duterte political clans, on June 19, 2024, Duterte resigned as Education Secretary. She formally handed over the post to her successor, Senator
Sonny Angara Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Manalang Angara (; born July 15, 1972) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who has served as the 37th Secretary of Education (Philippines), secretary of education since 2024. He has concurrently served as chairman of the ...
, on July 18, 2024.


Rift with Marcos and the House

On May 19, 2023, Duterte resigned from
Lakas–CMD Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats, abbreviated as Lakas–CMD and also known simply as Lakas, (and known as Lakas–Kampi until 2011) is a political party in the Philippines. Lakas–CMD is considered to be on the Centre-right politics, centre ...
, stating that her leadership "cannot be poisoned by political toxicity." Her resignation came a few days after her political ally
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo (; born April 5, 1947), often referred to as PGMA or GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician who served as the 14th president of the Philippines from Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 2001 to 2010 ...
, was demoted from her senior
deputy speaker Deputy or depute may refer to: * Steward (office) * Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy" * Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including: ** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spain ...
position in the House of Representatives following rumors that Arroyo allegedly planned to unseat Bongbong Marcos' cousin,
House Speaker The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England. Usage The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hung ...
Martin Romualdez Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez (, born November 14, 1963) is a Filipino businessman, lawyer, and politician who has served as the 24th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, speaker of the House of Representatives since 2 ...
. In a speech in June 2023, Duterte acknowledged Marcos' support for her but stated that Marcos' middle name, Romualdez, was "unmentionable" amid reports of a falling out between her and the Speaker. Duterte's relationship with the House worsened when her office's, as well as the education department's, use of confidential funds was questioned by the
Philippine House Committee on Appropriations The Philippine House Committee on Appropriations, or House Appropriations Committee is a standing committee of the Philippine House of Representatives. Jurisdiction As prescribed by House Rules, the committee's jurisdiction is on the expenditu ...
and the Philippine Senate Committee on Finance. The House would later remove her requested confidential funds from the proposed 2024 budget, while Duterte later rescinded her request for confidential funds, citing their "divisiveness." In January 2024, former senator
Antonio Trillanes Antonio "Sonny" Fuentes Trillanes IV (; born August 6, 1971) is a former Philippine naval officer and politician who served as a senator of the Philippines from 2007 to 2019. He is known for his involvement in the Oakwood mutiny of 2003 and t ...
claimed that Duterte was included as a “secondary respondent" in a crime against humanity case pending before the
International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute ...
(ICC). Arturo Lascañas, a retired police officer in Davao City, implicated Duterte as having had a role in
extrajudicial killings An extrajudicial killing (also known as an extrajudicial execution or an extralegal killing) is the deliberate killing of a person without the lawful authority granted by a judicial proceeding. It typically refers to government authorities, ...
(EJKs) after succeeding her father, Rodrigo Duterte, to become Davao City mayor in 2010. Duterte responded by saying that she never engaged with the
Davao Death Squad The Davao Death Squad (DDS) is a death squad group in Davao City, Philippines. The group is alleged to have conducted summary executions of street children and individuals suspected of petty crimes and drug dealing. It has been estimated that ...
(DDS) throughout her terms as Davao City mayor and vice mayor, and that she would face any charges only before judges and courts in the Philippines. In early 2024, Duterte lamented that she was being subjected to an intensified "demolition job" meant to destroy her reputation as a public servant. Amid a worsening rift between the Marcos and Duterte political clans, on June 19, 2024, Duterte resigned as Secretary of Education and co-vice chairperson of the NTF-ELCAC. Shortly after, Marcos announced that Senator
Sonny Angara Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Manalang Angara (; born July 15, 1972) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who has served as the 37th Secretary of Education (Philippines), secretary of education since 2024. He has concurrently served as chairman of the ...
would replace Duterte as the new DepEd Secretary. Duterte's resignation took effect on July 19, 2024. Duterte skipped Marcos' State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, 2024, claiming to have appointed herself as the "
designated survivor In the United States, a designated survivor (or designated successor) is a person in the presidential line of succession who is kept distant from others in the line when they are gathered together, to reduce the chance that everyone in the line ...
", a term she did not elaborate but is related to a contingency plan in the
United States presidential line of succession The United States presidential line of succession is the order of succession, order in which the vice president of the United States and other Officer of the United States, officers of the United States federal government assume the powers an ...
. She went to
Bohol Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol (; ), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Bohola ...
for Bohol Day and attended the wake of Bohol Vice Governor Dionisio Victor Balite, who died on July 17. A day after Marcos' SONA, the
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
(PNP) relieved all 75 police officers previously assigned for Duterte's security, reducing her from a record-high of around 400, the most for any Philippine vice president in history. Despite the recall, she still retains over 300 security personnel, more than those assigned to Marcos. She described the recall as “a clear case of political harassment” and accused PNP
Chief Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...
Rommel Marbil of lying. Marbil added that the recall was due to the absence of security threats against her and denied any "political pressure" influencing the decision. On July 24, 2024, Duterte left the country for
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
for a personal trip with her mother, husband, and children some hours prior to the southwestern monsoon, enhanced by
Typhoon Gaemi Typhoon Gaemi, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Carina, was a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone which impacted East China, Taiwan, and the Philippines in late July 2024. Gaemi, which means ant in Korean, the third named storm ...
(locally called Carina), which caused significant rainfall and affected
Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
. She had received travel authority from the Office of the President on July 9. The OVP noted that while the trip's timing was unfortunate, the Disaster Operations Center remained ready to aid those affected by the typhoon, including a relief operation in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
. Duterte revealed that during her trip to Germany, she spent her time with family and met with the Filipino community group Hakbang ng Maisug International Germany (HMIG) in
Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...
. Her departure faced criticism from netizens and Representative
Edcel Lagman Edcel Castelar Lagman Sr. (, May 1, 1942 – January 30, 2025) was a Filipino human rights lawyer and politician from the province of Albay. He was elected as a member of the House from 1987 to 1998 and 2004 to 2013 and from 2016 up until h ...
( Albay–1st) for perceived insensitivity during the crisis, though Senator
Imee Marcos Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios "Imee" Romualdez Marcos-Manotoc (; born November 12, 1955) is a Filipino politician and film producer serving as a Senate of the Philippines, senator since 2019. She previously served as governor of Ilocos Norte ...
defended her, stating that Duterte didn't know that there would be a storm. On August 7, 2024, Duterte publicly criticized the Marcos government and the House of Representatives over issues such as failures in disaster management, policing, healthcare reform, and the possible involvement of the
International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute ...
in investigating the
Philippine drug war The Philippine drug war, also referred to as the Philippine war on drugs, is the intensified drug policy, anti-drug campaign initiated during Duterte administration, the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, who served as President of the Philipp ...
spearheaded by her father as president. Later that month, during the budget hearing for the OVP's 2025 budget, Duterte refused to answer questions regarding her office's budget. Unlike in previous years, where the House swiftly approved the OVP budget, the approval of the 2025 budget was deferred, while some congressmen criticized Duterte for her behavior during the hearing. Duterte nor any representative from her office did not attend the second budget hearing on September 10, and approval for the OVP budget was deferred again. On September 18, 2024, Duterte attended the House's inquiry about her office's alleged misuse of funds and refused to take an oath and answer questions. Additionally, when asked about her friendship with Marcos, she said they were never friends and merely running mates in the 2022 elections. Marcos responded, expressing he was "deceived" about their supposed friendship. On October 18, 2024, Duterte held a press conference at her office, where she discussed her fallout with Marcos, claiming he "does not know how to be president" and has led the country "on the road to hell." She also revealed that she once told Senator Imee Marcos that if attacks against her persisted, she would exhume former President
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, dictator, and Kleptocracy, kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled the c ...
' remains and discard them in the
West Philippine Sea West Philippine Sea (; or ''Karagatang Kanlurang Pilipinas''; abbreviated as WPS) is the designation by the government of the Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country's exclusive economic zone. The term i ...
. The lower chamber's probe against Duterte and her office's alleged misuse of funds continued by November 2024. Several of Duterte's staff were cited in contempt for refusing to attend these hearings. On the sixth hearing, Duterte's
chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...
,
Zuleika T. Lopez Zuleika Tanglao Lopez (born June 12, 1974), also known by the initials ZTL, is a Filipino lawyer and government official currently serving as the Chief of Staff to the Vice President of the Philippines, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice Pr ...
, was cited in contempt for undue interference; she would later be detained at a detention facility within the
Batasang Pambansa Complex The Batasang Pambansa Complex, or simply the Batasan (), is the seat of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located along the Batasan Road in Batasan Hills, Quezon City. The complex was initially the home of the Batasang ...
. Duterte stayed with Lopez overnight on November 21 and 22, despite only being allowed by the House to visit Lopez and not stay with her for the duration of her detainment. When Lopez was due to be transferred on the evening of November 22 by House authorities to the Correctional Institution for Women, Duterte obstructed the proceeding and stayed in the room where Lopez is detained, after which Lopez initiated a midnight press conference through
Zoom Zoom may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * ''Zoom'' (2006 film), starring Tim Allen * ''Zoom'' (2015 film), a Canada-Brazil film by Pedro Morelli * ''Zoom'' (2016 Kannada film), a Kannada film * ''Zoom'' (2016 Sinhala film), a Sr ...
.


Threat to assassinate Marcos

In the early morning of November 23, Duterte made an expletive-laden tirade against the Marcos administration during Lopez's press conference, wherein she claimed to have spoken with a
contract killer Contract killing (also known as murder-for-hire) is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or people. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of compensation, moneta ...
to target President Marcos, his wife Liza, and House Speaker Romualdez in the event of her assassination. She made the claim in response to a vlogger's question over her security. Later that day, the administration deemed her threat against the president to be "clear and unequivocal" and thus treated as an "active threat" against the government. Duterte later clarified that her remarks were not serious threats but rather a reflection of her fear for her personal safety after hearing threats against her. Marcos pledged to prevent any "criminal attempts," but in response, Duterte stated she would not overlook the actions of the Marcos administration against her. She also claimed that the
Marcos family The Marcos family ( , , ) is a political family in the Philippines. They have established themselves in the country's politics, having established a political dynasty that traces its beginnings to the 1925 election of Mariano Marcos to the Phi ...
was behind the
assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
of former senator
Ninoy Aquino Benigno "Ninoy" Simeón Aquino Jr., (, ; November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983) was a Filipino politician who served as a senator of the Philippines (1967–1972) and governor of the province of Tarlac (1963–1967). Aquino was the husban ...
. Romualdez called Duterte's claim of hiring a contract killer a direct threat to democracy. He also referred to the threat as "alarming and unprecedented." On November 26, 2024, the National Bureau of Investigation issued a
subpoena A subpoena (; also subpœna, supenna or subpena) or witness summons is a writ issued by a government agency, most often a court, to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of ...
to Duterte regarding her alleged assassination threat, which she eventually ignored.


Confidential funds controversy

In 2022 and 2023, Duterte made use of confidential and intelligence funds for both the OVP and DepEd; the OVP under her predecessor did not make use of confidential funds. According to Duterte's chief of staff, due to the OVP's compartmentalized structure, she handled her confidential funds in direct coordination with her office's special disbursing officer Gina F. Acosta without any intermediary. In 2022, the OVP had requested , although only half, , was granted. The report of the
Commission on Audit The Commission on Audit (COA; ) is an independent constitutional commission established by the Constitution of the Philippines. It has the primary function to examine, audit and settle all accounts and expenditures of the funds and properties ...
(COA) later revealed that the entire fund was spent within 11 days. COA has also issued a notice of disallowance on the worth of such confidential funds in 2022. In 2023, the OVP was the fourth highest spender of confidential funds, spending a total of within the year, more than the combined total of confidential funds from the
National Intelligence Coordinating Agency The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA; ) is the primary intelligence gathering and analysis arm of the government of the Philippines in charge of carrying out overt, covert, and clandestine intelligence activities. The NICA direc ...
,
National Security Council A national security council (NSC) is usually an executive branch governmental body responsible for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising chief executives on matters related to national security. An NSC is often headed by a n ...
, and the National Bureau of Investigation. During the plenary deliberations for the 2024 national budget in September 2023, Duterte requested Congress for confidential and intelligence funds worth for the OVP and for the DepEd. DepEd defended the use of confidential funds, stating that it was for gathering information and intelligence. The request would later be scrutinized by both chambers of Congress. Duterte dismissed claims that these funds were used inappropriately. She also defended the use of confidential funds, and branded critics against it as enemies of peace and the nation. In November 2023, Duterte eventually dropped both of her requests for confidential funds in response to the request being "divisive". In 2024, the lower chamber's Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability started investigations against the vice president's alleged misuse of funds after the approval of the 2025 OVP budget was deferred. On September 25, a former DepEd undersecretary alleged that Duterte gave out cash gifts worth thousand monthly; later on, another former official also came forward, claiming that they received similar envelopes but had stopped by late 2023, around the same time the issue of confidential funds was raised. By November 2024, acknowledgement receipts from her offices submitted to the COA were revealed. Several lawmakers have expressed their doubts on the authenticity of the receipts, highlighting irregularities such as uncommon and allegedly fictitious names as well as discrepancies in the dates and signatures. Duterte claimed that she has not seen the receipts. On December 9, 2024, the
Philippine Statistics Authority The Philippine Statistics Authority (; PSA) is the central statistical authority of the Philippine government that collects, compiles, analyzes, and publishes statistical information on economic, social, demographic, political affairs, and gene ...
reported that the names of 60% of the 677 individuals that were named as recipients of confidential funds from DepEd had no records in the national
civil registry Civil registration is the system by which a government records the vital events ( births, marriages, and deaths) of its citizens and residents. The resulting repository or database has different names in different countries and even in diffe ...
.


Disbarment petition

Disbarred lawyer and Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation
Larry Gadon Lorenzo "Larry" Gacilo Gadon (born March 1, 1958) is a Filipino politician and disbarred lawyer who currently serves as the Presidential Adviser for Poverty Alleviation for President Bongbong Marcos since 2023. Gadon ran for a Senate of the Phi ...
has filed a disbarment complaint against Duterte over alleged "assassination" threats. Gadon stated that President Marcos did not support the filing of the disbarment case against Duterte. On November 26, 2024, Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting revealed that an anonymous complaint had been filed against Duterte for her comments about President
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, dictator, and Kleptocracy, kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled the c ...
and added that two other disbarment cases filed during her time as mayor of Davao City.


Impeachment

On December 2, 2024, an impeachment complaint was filed in the House of Representatives against Duterte for 24 offenses including failure to account for her spending of confidential funds, involvement in extrajudicial killings and threatening the assassination of President Marcos and Romualdez. A second impeachment complaint was filed against her on December 4 for misuse of confidential funds. On December 19, a third impeachment complaint was filed against Duterte for betrayal of public trust. Despite growing calls for Duterte's impeachment, Marcos has publicly voiced his opinion against impeaching her, calling it "a storm in a teacup" and considering the move inconsequential to the lives of Filipinos. Consequently, the
Iglesia ni Cristo The (INC; ; ) is an independent Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, church founded in 1913 and registered by Felix Manalo, Félix Manalo in 1914 as a corporation sole, sole religious corporation ...
on December 4 has announced that it plans to hold a rally to oppose the impeachment efforts concurring with President Marcos' stance in November 2024 that efforts to remove Duterte from office is unconstructive. On January 13, 2025, more than 1.5 million INC members went to the "
National Rally for Peace The National Rally for Peace ( Filipino: ''Pagtitipon Para sa Kapayapaan at Pagkakaisa'', ) were a series of demonstrations organized on January 13, 2025, led by the Iglesia ni Cristo in support of the statement of President Bongbong Marcos in ...
" at the
Quirino Grandstand The Quirino Grandstand, formerly known as the Independence Grandstand, is a grandstand located at Rizal Park, Manila, Philippines. History Contrary to popular belief, the first Independence Grandstand was not originally located on the pres ...
in Manila; 12 other sites also staged the rally across the country. On February 5, 2025, the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
voted to impeach Duterte on charges that include corruption, plotting to assassinate President Marcos, involvement in
extrajudicial killing An extrajudicial killing (also known as an extrajudicial execution or an extralegal killing) is the deliberate killing of a person without the lawful authority granted by a judicial proceeding. It typically refers to government authorities, ...
s and incitement to insurrection and public disorder. The measure passed after 215 lawmakers voted in favor, significantly above the minimum 102 votes needed in the chamber. As of April 7, 2025, Duterte's impeachment trial is set to take place following the midterm election on May 12, 2025.


Arrest of Rodrigo Duterte

On March 11, 2025, Sara's father, former Philippine president
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...
, was arrested in Manila on the basis of an
International Criminal Court The International Criminal Court (ICC) is an intergovernmental organization and International court, international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute ...
(ICC) warrant charging him with
crimes against humanity Crimes against humanity are certain serious crimes committed as part of a large-scale attack against civilians. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity can be committed during both peace and war and against a state's own nationals as well as ...
. Sara Duterte released a statement that her father's detention was "a blatant affront to our sovereignty and an insult to every Filipino who believes in our nation’s independence". Shortly after 11 p.m. PHT ( UTC+08:00), a government-chartered private jet carrying Duterte along with his legal counsel,
Salvador Medialdea Salvador "Bingbong" Campo Medialdea (born October 14, 1951) is a Filipino lawyer and former government official. He served as the Executive Secretary (Philippines), Executive Secretary from 2016 to 2022 in Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, the admi ...
, departed from
Ninoy Aquino International Airport Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA ; ; ), also known as Manila International Airport (MIA), is the main international airport serving Metro Manila in the Philippines. Located between the cities of Pasay and Parañaque, about south of ...
. Minutes after, President
Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. (, , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials BBM or PBBM, is a Filipino politician who has served as the 17th president of the Philippines since 2022. He is the second child ...
held a televised press conference where he revealed that the flight would eventually continue to
The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
in the Netherlands, where Duterte was set to be arraigned for the indictment on charges of crimes against humanity at the ICC. The following morning, Sara Duterte herself departed Manila for
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
to support her father. On March 14, 2025, Duterte publicly disclosed that she would not return to Philippines for an unspecified period, stating that she would focus on forming her father's legal team. The next day, Duterte stated that she would not return to the Philippines until another family relative could arrive in
the Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
to also ensure that her father would not be left alone. On April 7, 2025, she returned to the Philippines after a month of being with her detained father. Two weeks later, Sara Duterte formally endorsed
Imee Marcos Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios "Imee" Romualdez Marcos-Manotoc (; born November 12, 1955) is a Filipino politician and film producer serving as a Senate of the Philippines, senator since 2019. She previously served as governor of Ilocos Norte ...
and
Camille Villar Camille Aguilar Villar-Genuino (born January 25, 1985) is a Filipino politician and television personality who is a senator-elect of the Philippines. She has served as the representative for Las Piñas's at-large district since 2019 and as d ...
in the Senate elections.


Political positions


Moro conflict

After the
Mamasapano clash The Mamasapano clash was a shootout that took place during a police operation by the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on January 25, 2015, in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, then-undivided Maguindanao (which is now ...
between the
Special Action Force The Special Action Force (SAF) is the elite unit of the Philippine National Police founded by Fidel V. Ramos, later the twelfth president of the Philippines. History Formed on May 12, 1983, by the now-defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC) as ...
(SAF) and
Jemaah Islamiyah Jemaah Islamiyah (, ''al-Jamāʿah al-Islāmiyyah'', meaning "Islamic Congregation", frequently abbreviated JI) was a Southeast Asian Islamist militant group based in Indonesia, which was dedicated to the establishment of an Islamic state in ...
occurred in 2015 that led to the deaths of 44 SAF members, Duterte had her profile pictures on
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
and
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
set to memorial images that read: "Rest in peace SAF 44", which lasted up to 2022.


Communist conflict

Duterte opposes government peace talks with the
Communist Party of the Philippines The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP; ) is a far-left, Marxist–Leninist–Maoist revolutionary organization and communist party in the Philippines, formed by Jose Maria Sison on 26 December 1968. The CPP has been fighting a gue ...
-
New People's Army The New People's Army (; abbreviated NPA or BHB) is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aiming to consolidate political power from what it sees as the present "bourgeo ...
- National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). After the Marcos administration agreed to resume peace talks with the CPP-NPA-NDF, in December 2023, she called the peace talks "a pact with the devil", warning that the communist rebels were insincere in reaching a settlement with the government.


Foreign issues

Duterte has been noted for not issuing explicit statements on the dispute between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. She has declined to comment on the matter, instead deferring people to the
Department of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral re ...
and the
Department of National Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...
when queried on such matters. For this, she received criticism by some officials, including by allies of Marcos in the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
and
Philippine Coast Guard The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG; ) is the third armed uniformed service of the country attached to the Philippines' Department of Transportation, tasked primarily with enforcing laws within Philippine waters, conducting maritime security ope ...
spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela. However, Marcos defended Duterte, stating that "
t is T, or t, is the twentieth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''tee'' (pronounced ), plural ''tees''. It is d ...
not the role of the Vice President or the Secretary of Education to talk about China".


Apollo Quiboloy

Duterte has expressed support for religious leader and her father's ally,
Apollo Quiboloy Apollo Carreon Quiboloy (; born April 25, 1950) is a Filipino pastor and the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC or KJC), a Restorationist church based in the Philippines. He founded the KOJC in 1985, proclaiming himself the "Appoi ...
, who had been indicted by the
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
, sanctioned by the U.S. Magnitsky Act, and is the subject of various probes by the Philippine
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
and
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
over allegations of sexual abuse and human trafficking, among other things. Duterte stated that the probes conducted by the Philippine Congress were "unjust" and "violent", and deprived Quiboloy of due process. Following the serving of arrest warrants of Quiboloy in June 2024, Duterte called for a just and humane law enforcement following what she described as the use of excessive force by the police. On August 25, 2024, she condemned the "gross abuse of police power" involved in the
Philippine National Police The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
(PNP) executing an arrest warrant against Quiboloy at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Davao City. She also expressed her regret in encouraging KOJC adherents to support her 2022 running mate, Bongbong Marcos. On August 30, 2024, Duterte visited the wake of a KOJC member who died from a heart attack while manning a watchtower during the first day of the police raid. Two days later, Duterte attended the KOJC's 39th anniversary event at the compound where she reiterated her support for the church organization and apology for supporting Marcos.


Publications

Duterte wrote the children's book ''Isang Kaibigan'' (), launched in November 2023. With her office proposing a budget of for the distribution of 200,000 copies to public schools as part of the OVP's "PagbaBAGo" campaign, the book has gained controversy over the potential use of public funds to promote her own book and allegations of plagiarism due to similarities with Andy Runton's ''Owly: Just a Little Blue'' and the main character's similarities with
Canva Canva is an Australian multinational proprietary software company that provides a graphic design platform that provides tools for creating social media graphics, presentations, postcards, promotional merchandise and websites. Launched in Austr ...
's graphics. The OVP has asserted the originality and copyright registration of the book. While intended for educational purposes, critics argued that the book serves as a political tool to enhance Duterte's image, a notion she denied by highlighting the book's focus on children who are not yet eligible to vote. Duterte later announced that she will write another book, this time about "a friend's betrayal."


Personal life

Duterte met Manases "Mans" Carpio while she was attending
San Beda College San Beda University () is a private Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Order of Saint Benedict in San Miguel, Manila, Philippines. It was founded by the Benedictines in 1901. The main campus is situated ...
(now San Beda University); they married at the Santuario de San Antonio in
Forbes Park, Makati Forbes Park is a private subdivision, gated community, and barangay in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. Established in 1940s partly out of the nearby barangay Pinagkaisahan, Forbes Park was named after William Cameron Forbes, the fifth American ...
, on October 27, 2007. Although news reports have often mentioned that they have three children, Duterte had issued a statement in July 2024 mentioning that they have four children. Manases, a nephew of
Ombudsman An ombudsman ( , also ) is a government employee who investigates and tries to resolve complaints, usually through recommendations (binding or not) or mediation. They are usually appointed by the government or by parliament (often with a sign ...
Conchita Carpio-Morales Conchita Carpio-Morales (; born Conchita Claudio Carpio; June 19, 1941) is a former Ombudsman of the Philippines serving from 2011 to 2018. Prior to her appointment as Ombudsman, she held the post of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the ...
and Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice
Antonio Carpio Antonio Tirol Carpio (; born October 26, 1949) is a former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was sworn in as a member of the Supreme Court by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 26, 2001, and served until h ...
, is a legal counsel for Lapanday Foods Corporation. Duterte is also a fan of
Korean drama Korean drama (), also known as K-drama or Koreanovela, refers to Korean language, Korean-language television shows made in South Korea. These shows began to be produced around the early 1960s, but were mostly consumed domestically until the rise ...
s. She previously hosted television programs like ''
Una Ka BAI ''Una Ka BAI!: Una sa Balita'' (), also known as ''Una Ka BAI!: Balita At Iba Pa'' is a Philippine television news broadcasting program broadcast by GMA Davao. Originally hosted by Derf Maiz, Sarah Hilomen-Velasco and MK Sobrecarey, it premier ...
'' and '' Byaheng DO30'' on
GMA Davao DXMJ-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Metro Davao, Philippines, serving as the Mindanao flagship of the GMA network. It is owned and operated by the network's namesake corporate parent alongside GTV outlet DXRA-TV (channel 27). Bo ...
, a local station of
GMA Network GMA Network (an acronym of its legal name, Global Media Arts and commonly known as GMA) is a Television in the Philippines, Philippine commercial broadcast network, serving as the flagship property of publicly traded GMA Network (company), ...
. ''Byaheng DO30'' also expanded its airing across Mindanao on GMA Regional TV and internationally via
GMA News TV International GMA News TV (GNTV; visually rendered in uppercase in its logo) is a 24-hour Philippine-based international pay television channel owned by Citynet Network Marketing and Productions Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of GMA Network Inc. It was ...
. During her political hiatus from 2013 to 2016, Duterte devoted her time as one of the partner lawyers of Carpio & Duterte Lawyers. Planning to join the judiciary, she also passed the Pre-Judicature Program of the Philippine Judicial Academy. Duterte was elected as one of the governors of the
Philippine Red Cross The Philippine Red Cross (PRC; ; ) is a non-profit humanitarian organization and a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The PRC was established in 1947, with roots in the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colon ...
in 2014. Duterte is a reserve officer in the
Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) () are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Philippine Army, Army, the Philippine Air Force, Air Force, and the Philippine Navy, Navy (including the P ...
with the rank of colonel, being confirmed on March 11, 2020. In October 2015, to convince her father to run for president in the
2016 Philippine presidential election Presidential elections in the Philippines were held on May 9, 2016, as part of the 2016 Philippine general election, 2016 general election. This was the 16th direct presidential election in the country since 1935 Philippine presidential electio ...
s despite his reluctance due to lack of campaign funds and political machinery, she shaved her head. On April 18, 2016, in connection with the rape remark made by her father Rodrigo on one of his presidential candidacy campaigns, Duterte took to her
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
account to admit that she was once a rape victim. However, Rodrigo Duterte dismissed his daughter's admission and referred to her as a "drama queen". On March 10, 2022, she told supporters at a meet-and-greet that she was part of the LGBT community, with her gender expression being male. Duterte's statement was met with some skepticism by the left-wing LGBT rights group
Bahaghari Philippines ''Bahaghari'' (literally, "Rainbow") is the national democratic organization of LGBT+ Filipinos advocating for LGBT+ rights in the country. Bahaghari is a nationwide coalition of various LGBT+ affiliates, member organizations, and advocates that ...
. In September 2022, Duterte received criticism for allegations that she was using the official presidential helicopter, a
Bell 412 The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor. It is a twin-turbine helicopter that has been ...
, for personal trips to visit her children in Davao. These allegations surfaced after Duterte thanked President Marcos and the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing in a
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
post for ensuring that she could be at home in time with her children "wherever she may be found in the country". The Philippine Air Force clarified that the Vice President is authorized to use helicopters from the 250th for official functions, denying rumors that Duterte used the helicopter to visit her children in Davao. On June 12, 2024, a neck scar was first noticed on Duterte while she was in
Davao City Davao City, officially the City of Davao, is a City of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the List of Philippine cities and municipalities ...
attending its
Independence Day An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
flag-raising ceremony, which she later claimed as coming from an attempted knife attack ("gurgur") against her. When reporters asked for clarification, she stated that her answer was "very straightforward" and added in jest that the attack was done by "all of those people" ("Silang lahat").


See also

*'' Hoya indaysarae'', a species named after her


Notes


References


External links

* , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Duterte, Sara 1978 births Living people 21st-century Filipino lawyers 21st-century Filipino women politicians 21st-century Filipino politicians Dutertism Bongbong Marcos administration cabinet members Candidates in the 2022 Philippine vice-presidential election Children of presidents of the Philippines
Sara Sara may refer to: People * Sara (given name), a feminine given name People with the given name * Sara Aboobacker (1936–2023), Indian writer and translator * Sara Ahmed (born 1969), British-Australian writer * Sara Allgood (1880–1950), Ir ...
Filipino anti-communists Filipino people of American descent Filipino people of German descent Filipino television personalities Filipino women lawyers Impeached Filipino officials Lakas–CMD politicians Mayors of Davao City Mayors of places in Davao del Sur Partido Demokratiko Pilipino politicians People from Davao City Politicians from Davao del Sur Right-wing populists San Beda University alumni San Sebastian College – Recoletos alumni Secretaries of education of the Philippines Vice presidents of the Philippines Women mayors of places in the Philippines Women members of the Cabinet of the Philippines Women vice presidents in Asia