AFTER placing the nation in a state of suspended animation over a long period of time, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte filed his certificate of candidacy for the presidency before the Commission on Elections a few days ago.
As expected, Duterte’s move elicited two opposing reactions: one, a great relief that our democracy is, after all, capable of producing a worthy candidate for the highest position in the land. Another is an apprehension that we are liable to fall under the leadership of an acknowledged executioner.
Strangely, both reactions spring from the same basis—the no-nonsense, iron-fisted approach of Duterte to criminality and related forms of antisocial activity. Certainly we all want our streets and neighborhoods to be cleaned of drug pushers, kidnappers, guns-for-hire and thieves of all sorts, and the high places in the government to be rid of crooks and plunderers.
The opposition to Duterte has its own merit, but the case for him is strong. As media people observed, Duterte is self-effacing, even cracking jokes at his expense. Therefore, we should allow for some exaggeration when interpreting his words. Exaggeration or not, however, his record as public servant seems well-appreciated by the people, if the result of a November 11 and 12 Pulse Asia poll is an indication. This poll showed that 34 percent of Metro Manila voters preferred Duterte for president; 25 percent, Poe; 22 percent, Binay; 11 percent, Roxas; and 7 percent, Defensor-Santiago.
Eliminating graft and corruption in the government and criminality in the streets is only one of Duterte’s objectives. In a recent interview, he bared his platform of the government: Streamlining of the government bureaucracy, strengthening of the justice system, building of the country’s infrastructure, intensification and expansion of social services (including education, housing and health) with special attention to the elderly, women, children, and indigenous peoples, tax reform, the building of disaster-resilient communities, the raising of living standards for all and, lastly, the shifting of our current unitary system to the federal form of government.
Duterte also said that he will embark on a “truth only” campaign—no black propaganda, focusing only on valid problems and never on speculative or offensive issues. If he does that, Duterte will radically raise the quality of politics in this country, steering it away from dirty tricks and character assassination toward the intelligent discussion of the pressing economic and social issues that confront our nation.
Duterte also revealed that he will look for money to finance his campaign, but he does not want to be compromised into any “debt of gratitude” to anyone. This candor is one of the elements of character that people find admirable in Duterte, separating him from the breed of prevaricating politicians who routinely deny this accommodation and lie through their teeth. We must focus on action rather than words in evaluating Duterte. As the old poem says: “Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me.”
Image credits: Jimbo Albano
3 comments
Sa estratehiyang “SUBSTITUTION” on delaying COC…..NAISAHAN at parang NADAYA ni DUTERTE ang kanyang mga KALABAN….nakatulong ng malaki sa NAME RECALL campaign strategy ang pagiging; ATRAS ABANTE, pagmamaang-maangan,
URONG SULONG, PAGPA-PANGGAP, PANLILITO at higit sa lahat “sa modus na
Substitution on COC.” batid ng lahat na ang SPIN ni DUTERTE ang brain at may pakana ng “substitution cum delaying COC.”
EXPECT na maraming magkuquestion sa MODUS na “SUBSTITUTION” sa Comelec….
INAASAHANG mate-TEKNIKAL ang “kamay na bakal” kuno at MAPAGBIRONG si DUTERTE…
Whaaatt? PNoy’s administration has kamay na bakal?!
Well, that’s new.
yan nag tama! Duterte Cayetano para sa pag babago! yan ang tama! #DC2016.