Calibrate all projects, finish them within my term – Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered department secretaries to avoid initiating projects that cannot be completed within his sixyear term.

The President said project implementation should be "calibrated" so that all programs will be completed before he leaves office in 2022.

"Sabi ko sa lahat ng secretary ng mga departamento (I told all department secretaries) 'Do not go into projects which you cannot finish within the two-year time left for me in office,'"

he said during his visit to North Cotabato Friday.

"Gusto ko, kagaya nung mayor ako. Lahat ng projects ko calibrated, in the sense na pagdating ng panahon, pag-alis ko sa opisina, malinis lahat (Like when I was mayor, I want all projects to be calibrated, in the sense that when my term ends, everything is in order)," he said.

With the recent signing of the 2020 national budget, Duterte also vowed to closely audit agency performance and fund disbursement to curb corruption and inefficiency.

"I want to see the last peso na dadating doon (that goes there)," he said. "Wala akong ginawa kung hindi mag-audit ng performance pati saan ‘yung pera. Sinusundan ko ‘yan (I do nothing but audit the performance and where the money goes. I closely monitor that)."

Duterte also reminded government officials to shun corruption, warning them that he will not hesitate to kick them out of service. He said public funds must benefit the people, not go to the pockets of public servants.

"I’m warning everybody in government. Do not go into corruption. Pagka may (If there is) corruption, I will not give you the time of the day.

You have to pack up and go," he said.

Duterte, who has previously declared his zero tolerance for corruption in the bureaucracy, recalled that he sacked a highranking official of the Philippine National Oil Company over a questionable contract.

"Hindi ako mag-dadalawang isip, ni Cabinet member (I won't have second thoughts even if he is a Cabinet member)," he said.

He said corruption has hampered efficient public service and derailed the country's progress. "You remove corruption and we would have performed about half or a third of the performance of the past."