Inaugural of the 16th President of the Philippines Prayer by Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D.

Our Father in heaven, you who are sovereign over all of heaven and earth, worshipped in heart and in truth by all creation, we worship you and give you praise. Today is the day you have made and marked according to your unfathomable wisdom. Today is the day we ask you to bless and protect the leader we have chosen to lead our nation with much thanksgiving and prayer in our hearts.

We lift up to you this leader, the 16th President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, with fervent prayer of your abiding presence that you will continue to bless him with wisdom from heaven, so that everything that you have put in his heart from the beginning of his walk in leadership, to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, to champion the rights of the destitute, to speak up and judge fairly and defend the rights of the poor and needy may be accomplished by him for your glory. That as he does his duties in fear of you, you will keep harm away from him, that you will use him for your holy and loving purpose alone, that he will have great understanding of your commands.

Almighty Father, into your loving hands we commit our President, whom we have chosen for this nation at such a time as this, Rodrigo Roa Duterte. May you be pleased with him in all the things that you have set him to do. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Amen.