Forget 8-5: Philippines’ Duterte to begin work at 1pm

The Philippines’ President-elect Rodrigo Duterte announced at a late-night press conference on Saturday (May 28) that he plans to work each day from 1pm until midnight.

“I don’t care about your 8am to 5pm schedule,” Mr Duterte said. “I’ll be sleeping by then. How can you make me work?”

Nor does he plan on giving up the creature comforts of his home in Davao, where he has served as mayor for more than two decades. He has vowed to catch a commercial flight to and from Manila each day until he adjusts to life in the presidential palace. Mr Duterte indicated that he planned to make the daily trip at least for the first few days of his administration.

“My bed is here. My room is here. My home is my comfort zone. It’s important that I can sleep and take a shower comfortably,” the Davao City mayor said.

Mr Duterte, the maverick 71-year-old who comfortably won presidential elections held on May 9, has already shown a fondness for unusual working practices including frequent late night or early morning press briefings. Set to be sworn in on June 30, he has pledged to curb crime and corruption, while continuing the economic policies of the outgoing President Benigno Aquino.

Mr Duterte said that one of his most important tasks will be to pore over documents in his study before signing them.

“Unlike others, I don’t like to sign them unless I know what I’m signing about. It would take time,” he said. BLOOMBERG

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