These impressive accomplishments, for a short period of time, are unacceptable to President Duterte’s critics…
It all started with a bang! And the 16 million Filipinos who voted for Duterte, have been looking ahead to a more progressive country in Asia.
Not all have been clamoring for a change.
And the many changes that Duterte has instituted benefit the millions of Filipinos. And at the same time this on going rally for a change has led to the irritation of his critics.
On record, there more than 50 changes made for the past 100 days, a feat only Duterte himself, his followers could claim. To make more precise, Duterte is the only president who has done many changes for a short period of time.
At the very beginning, the campaign against drugs has been severe after finding out that the drug problem in the Philippines is deeper than what the president has thought of, claiming that the Philippine is a narco-state. This had led to many killings of drug protectors, pushers and users, and the massive discovery of many shabu factories in the New Bilibid Prisons and in the various parts of the country, mostly in Metro Manila and Luzon, especially in Pampanga where the police discovered old and new shabu factories.
And as the result of this massive campaign, Duterte has instituted many rehab centres even the other institutions and the church offered services to rehabilitate the drug users and pushers.
The campaign for a change followed by the move against contratualization under the leadership of Secretary Bello who is fighting hard against the business tycoons and big corporate owners to end the “endo”; and when Gina Lopez, Secretary of Department of Environment and Natural Resources, investigated illegal minings, illegal loggers and illegal fishing at the Laguna de Bay. She said: “Where there is mining, there is poverty.”; MRT has increased the number of units and let the public buy their tickets in some outlets in the various malls; Philippine telecommunications have been updated, providing 911 and WIFI to the airports, seaports and other public places. And the new benefits for the OFWs and the returning Filipinos from abroad.
And the cleansing of the most corrupt departments, like Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Custom and LTO is underway; and with Mayor Joseph Estrada, a former critic of Duterte, is determined to clean the city, making Divisoria and other parts of the city free from garbage, sidewalk vendors and parked cars; and to top them all, to temporarily cut the economic umbilical cord with the United Sates, promoting more to connect with other powerful nations for economic, social and cultural initiatives.And at the very beginning, the move to change the way the government is being governed, Federalism has been gaining ground as a better alternative in governance.
As Walter Wallace, a naturalized Filipino businessman, says: “We’ve had almost 100 days now and we’ve had things done. I’m quiet amazed really how many things have been accomplished.”
Unfortunately, Duterte’s critics, mostly from the losers’ political camp and religious groups, claimed that these achievements are of smokes and mirrors, trying discredit the positive effect of his campaign against drugs and narcotics.And at the very length of their protest, the critics want him to resign, and side by side plotting to have a coup.
Change is difficult for some Filipinos because many changes cross the hard wires of the status quo.
Some of Duterte’s qoutes which were not included when New York Times published some of the hard hitting words against Obama, the Pope and his critics Duterte says after winning the presidcency:: “In this quest, I will put at stake my honor, my life, my presidency.” And for his crusade against drugs, he says: “A leader must be a terror to the few who are evill in order to protect the lives and well-being of the many who are good.” And note this quote: ” Courage knows no limit, cowardice does.
And the latest Social Weather Survey, Duterte gets 67%
What else can you expect from Digong? The return of the death penalty? Federalism? Same-sex marriage? The newest Tiger in Asia?
ABANGAN!
