As noon struck, a sigh of relief for many Filipinos. President Leni Robredo is now the 17th president of the Philippines.

Her inauguration marked the end of a tumultuous election that saw her eke out a win versus the late dictator’s son, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. The new administration promised to return competence to the presidency–a departure from the past administration’s ineptitude.

“There is no time to lose because every day, there is real suffering on the ground. We have to ease that suffering, finally control this pandemic, and heal our nation,” said the chief executive, nearly echoing her inaugural address six years ago.

Set to unite a greatly polarized country, Robredo is guided by words from one of former President Benigno Aquino’s speeches. “There can be no reconciliation without justice,” Robredo asserted, alluding to former President Rodrigo Duterte who was visibly absent at her oath-taking.

Eschewing elaborate ceremonies, the new president took oath at Malacañang’s Rizal Hall. Robredo takes on the gargantuan task of pulling the country out from the pandemic, high inflation rate, diminished international presence, and a dire human rights situation.

Robredo began her work promptly, skipping the traditional inaugural luncheon. She started with a slew of executive issuances directed to reverse her predecessor’s policies. Her first executive order requires all executive branch instrumentalities to publicize all documents and reports under her “full disclosure policy.”

She also reconstituted the COVID-19 Inter-agency Task Force (IATF), appointing former Health Secretaries Alfredo Bengzon, Manuel Dayrit and Esperanza Cabral, and Nicanor Austriaco, a molecular biologist and fellow at think-tank OCTA Research.

Meanwhile, Robredo’s cabinet consists of individuals—both technocrats and career politicians—known in their field: defeated reelectionist Risa Hontiveros is secretary of social welfare and development, IATF adviser Dr. Tony Leachon is health secretary, and former socioeconomic planning secretary and UP professor Ernesto Pernia is finance secretary.

In the briefing room, Spokesperson Barry Gutierrez held his first press conference. For the first time since March 2020, the media is now allowed to enter the palace. First question was from Rappler’s Mara Cepeda: “Will President Robredo cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation of Duterte?”

Gutierrez echoed the president’s position: “She will cooperate with and rejoin the ICC.” His response was due in part to the yet unknown parliamentary calculus in Congress. For one, the senate presidency is vacant, and Congress has yet to convene.

“We give our assurance that the Robredo administration will work with the 19th Congress in passing our urgent legislative agenda,” Gutierrez retorted, reading straight from his briefing book as he recited the administration’s pet bills: a Senate resolution to ratify the ICC treaty, supplemental funding for vaccines and health care workers, and a bill that seeks to suspend the excise tax in oil.

For the first time in six years, the person behind the podium was neither bluffing nor dodging questions from the media. Such demeanor will no doubt be the hallmark of the new administration.

Even the Office of the President has been revamped immediately. Robredo dissolved the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs, and the task forces on federalism, media security, and the Manila Bay. Robredo, however, retained the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, with its funding “held in abeyance” during the review of the cases filed against its former officials.

 Robredo sees the need for counterinsurgency but this might not be the right time to prioritize the NTF-ELCAC, especially amid the pandemic, Gutierrez said. Likewise, the palace said that they will be crafting a new anti-narcotics program centered on rehabilitation.

As the briefing ended, Gutierrez announced Robredo’s engagements tomorrow: calls with the ambassadors of the US and European Union and other “strategic allies.” Robredo will also meet the IATF.

With six years to go, Robredo remains hopeful of pulling together Filipinos who are more divided and polarized than ever. After all, she has only garnered 40 percent of the electorate. And despite the mess she inherited from Duterte, her term comes after a man who has brought governing so low that any impression of good faith may already be seen as a huge improvement.

This is politically advantageous, as, for the new administration, there is no way to go but up. ●

Editor's note: All scenarios in this article are fiction, but based on current stances of candidates.