The joint session of the Philippine Congress officially proclaimed Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo as the new President and Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines respectively on Monday afternoon, May 30, 2016. The proclamation was attended by Rep. Leni Robredo while Mayor Rody Duterte skipped the event to attend his well-wishers in Davao City.
The National Board of Canvassers, which is composed of the Senate and House of Representatives conducting the canvassing for Presidential and Vice Presidential race convened on Monday afternoon to approve the canvassing report. The proclamation of the new President and Vice President came only three days after the Congress finished the actual canvassing of votes.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte won the presidency in the Congress’ official count with 16,601,997 votes, or more than six million votes ahead of second placer Liberal Party candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.
Rep. Leni Robredo beat her closest rival Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. by 263,473 votes in a hotly contested vice presidential race. The congresswoman from Bicol arrived at the joint session of Congress after she attended a Mass at St. Peter Parish in Quezon City.
This is the very first time in the history of the joint session of Congress that the winners of the Presidential and Vice Presidential poll came as early as possible. During the previous elections outgoing President Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay were proclaimed winners on June 9, 2010 or almost a month after the elections.
President Rodrigo Duterte and Rep. Leni Robredo will take their oath on June 30, 2016, the day Aquino and Binay’s terms would expire.
