[Photograph of a smiling President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte, who is perceived by all of the almost 16 million Filipino voters who cast their lot on his advocacy of a “strong-man” rule and the need to instill fear among criminals, as the Philippines’ modern-day messiah.]
I actually did not vote for Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte. I decided to cast my lot unto my father-in-law’s close friend. It was my feeling that after this Presidential candidate to whom I cast my lot, has been immensely bashed and pictured in both the traditional and social media as a crook; he would surely act out a convincing redemption to make himself a nonpareil President of the Republic. But I have no regrets with Duterte’s win.
For half a day, what I did was to do an intensive research as I reviewed on the internet, most of President-elect Rody’s pronouncements. And now I am convinced that President Rody could certainly effect the much awaited change for the betterment of the Philippine society.
On Saturday, I went to see my friend and my favorite watch repairman who not only repairs watches but also almost all gadgets that needed to be fixed. I noticed that he was wearing a DUTERTE baller and when I asked him his expectations about a Duterte win, he was ecstatic. And he told me his story…According to him, he lives in Cubao, a commercial district in Quezon City, near the Arayat road area. And every night that he would come home, he would always get so terror-stricken. He would see drug addicts invariably doing their pot sessions along the street with seeming impunity. Now with a smile, he told me that the usual nocturnal scene has stopped after the COMELEC count on the very night of the election, showed Duterte leading the Presidential race. He told me that his fears that her two (2) daughters who would come home late at night from work after going through the usual traffic, have now substantially faded.
During our weekly family bonding on Sunday, while doing lunch at the RACKS in Trinoma, my eldest daughter Shayna who voted for Duterte, was herself euphoric. When he heard from me about the story of my watch repairman friend, Shayna recounted that two (2) of her friends have a similarly inspiring tale. Per Shayna, in separate instances, her (2) friends while on board the regularly plying buses along EDSA heard a motivating and uplifting spiel from their respective bus drivers (surely, Duterte fans too). As a passenger was insistent to alight at a “no unloading area” along EDSA, the bus driver cordially delivered his spiel and said: “MAM, MAGBABAGO NA PO ANG GOBYERNO NATIN SA PAMUMUNO PO NI DUTERTE…HINDI NA PO PWEDE ANG PAGBABA SA HINDI PO UNLOADING AREA, MAGTULUNGAN PO TAYO. [English translation: Madame, we will have a new government under Duterte, we need now to start following traffic rules and you can not now insist on alighting at a NO UNLOADING AREA. Let us cooperate with one another Mam.]
News have it too that recent arrests of notorious drug pushers pointed to a seeming repentance among these arrestees. One even declared that he was ready and preparing to voluntarily surrender to President-elect Rody as he has decided to turn away from DRUGS. One more stirring revelation is the reported plummeting down of the cost of “shabu” being sold in the streets. It would show now that demand may have gone down and drug pushers have decided to sell these drugs at reduced prices to jack up demand. These developments are truly riveting.
Indeed, these seemingly tiny tales of inspiration bring much hope and wholesome expectations to all of us who have been yearning to see positive changes in our country.
Based on recent official reports, barangays in Metro-Manila comprising about 92 per cent of the total in the metropolis, have already been infested with the DRUG menace.
Though much expectation has been evoked among the Filipino electorate, I would feel that even if President-elect Rody would only be able to address the DRUG menace and other forms of criminality, it would surely bring enough BOON and BLESSING. And with peace and order at hand, all other blessings would certainly pour into our land.
God bless the Philippines! God bless President-elect Rody R. Duterte!!!!
