ADMINISTRATION lawmakers on Thursday gave a thumbs-up to President Rodrigo Duterte whose presidency has been focused in fighting massive illegal drugs in the country, with one of them describing it as a show that shocks and awes.
Reps. Karlo Alexei Nograles of Davao City, Celso Lobregat of Zamboanga City, Mark Aeron Sambar and Jericho Nograles of PBA party-list and Oscar Garin of Iloilo commended Duterte’s effort to effect “real change” in governance.
“His trust rating is so high – an indication of the Filipino people’s trust and confidence in his presidency,” Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said.
Nograles also cited that Duterte’s intensified campaign illegal drugs is now being implemented even at the village level.
Lobregat, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said if there are two word to describe President Duterte’s accomplishments in his first 50 days they are shock and awe.
“We could really see that change is here. We have a President who is serious on what he is doing,” Lobregat said.
Sambar and the younger Nograles, also vice chairmen of the appropriations committee, shared a similar view.
“I think the President has [began to deliver] his promise of change. A lot of campaign promises he did and one by one he started to deliver… We will see more of this coming,” Sambar said.
“We dream of having clean and corrupt-free government, and we see that is really possible. The people see that it can be done after all,” he added.
Nograles said that reforms and changes in government that are promised by the Duterte administration cannot be immediate.
“That is why Congress will thoroughly scrutinize the [proposed P3.32 trillion national budget for 2017 to find out] whether his (President Duterte) proposal will bring changes in his administration.”
Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas said the Duterte government’s peace and order effort was “so far, so good.”
Vargas also said he rallied behind President Rodrigo Duterte’s legislative agenda, including the administration’s war against illegal drugs.
Garin, for her part, said the President’s first 55 days was “beyond expectation.”
“He introduces more discipline to the rest of the country,” Garin said.
