Yesterday, our democracy had its smooth handover of power from then President
Benigno Aquino to our current President Rodrigo Duterte. Today, we formalize the
turnover and conclude what has really been a month-long transition towards Carlos G.
Dominguez III, our Republic’s Secretary of Finance.
I thank Secretary Dominguez for agreeing to return to government upon being tapped by
President Duterte to lead the finance portfolio. We are all lucky to have him. His extensive
profile speaks for itself: he’s served in the Cabinet, twice before. He’s headed a wide
array of successful businesses across various sectors.
In short, Sec. Dominguez possesses the golden triangle that poises you to succeed as a
Finance Secretary: the President’s ear and trust, a working knowledge of government,
and an immersive experience in business—these three enable a Secretary to put pedal
to the metal in the driver’s seat of the nation’s economy. With him at the helm of our
nation’s economy, our prospects as Asia’s rising star has only become brighter.
That’s why I also specifically wish to thank Mrs Dominguez, who is in attendance here
today. Thank you for sharing your husband again to the nation. The high personal toll is
a sacrifice you both have chosen in the spirit of service—and we are all better for it.
I just wish to speak to all my colleagues in the Department of Finance: thank you, for
serving with me these past number of years.
I’ve often said public service is a relay race. That while we hold the torch we ought to hold
it proudly and run like a champion, as fast as we possibly can. But there comes a time
when we ought to pass it on to the next runner, and when we do we ought to leave our
organization and the people we serve in a much better place than when we first found it.
Today is one such time. I hope that together, we’ve run a good race, and that we have
taken the Philippines so much farther than when we first began. I hope that today,
Secretary Dominguez would find the torch I am passing to him well-worn, but blazing
brighter than ever.
Men chart their destinies; statesmen chart their nation’s. As we navigate a path forward
in the turbulent waters of the global economy, I am happy Secretary Dominguez is the
captain of our economy’s ship, the bearer of our fiscal torch, and our next champion in
the great relay race of good governance.
I ask everyone in DOF to help him keep Asia’s bright star burning bright for the next 6
years and beyond. All the best! Thank you.