Do not call him “His Excellency.”

President Rodrigo Duterte has issued a directive asking officials to refrain from addressing him as “His Excellency” in all official communications.

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A memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the “the President shall be addressed in all official communications, events or materials as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte only, and without the term His Excellency.”

The memorandum also stated that “all members of the Cabinet shall be addressed in all official communications submitted to Office of the President as Secretary only, and without the term Honorable.”

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said dropping the word His Excellency and Honorable “encourages less ceremonial communications.”

The memorandum, however, said that all government agencies and offices, at their discretion, may use the term Honorable in addressing their respective heads of offices in their internal communications and documents.

“In keeping with his populist Presidential style, he encourages less ‘ceremonial’ communications,” Abella told reporters in a text message. IDL/rga

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