We view the first 100 days of the Duterte administration with a mix of wonder, caution, trepidation—and, despite ourselves, hope.
Leave the experts to compare the hard statistics to the actual achievements: the supposed decline in street crimes, growth in the economy, increase in tax collections, less minutes wasted on the road or the runway, and additional infrastructure.
We remember just a few numbers, specifically the over 3,000 suspected drug dealers and users who have been killed since the beginning of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term, and the three million drug addicts he said he would be happy to slaughter, Hitler-style. No doubt about it—the fight against drugs is the centerpiece of this administration.
What stand out for ordinary Filipinos are the sentiments evoked by the pronouncements of the hundred-day-old President. Does he inspire us? Does he appear to know what he wants to achieve and does he have the plan or wherewithal to take us there? Does he lift our spirits and our image before the rest of the world? Does he make us feel prosperous and safe?
It’s a wonder that a city mayor from down south, starkly different from the usual pedigreed, mild-mannered and pleasant-sounding politicians, can sweep the elections by a plurality. It is amazing that he can utter expletives and insult other people during official functions and still enjoy overwhelming trust and acceptance by the people.
We are cautious because Mr. Duterte, who ran and won on the platform of bringing about genuine change, may be introducing a brand of change that is more drastic that we have ever imagined.
We are also impatient because there appears to be a contradiction. Some of the ills we thought would be immediately gone are still here: maddening traffic, corruption on all levels of government, and sadly, gutter politics.
Finally, we cannot help feeling grim. Listening to the President speak sometimes occasions the thought: Is this foul-mouthed man really in charge of my—and my children’s—destiny for the next six years? Mr. Duterte has shown he can talk ill of world leaders, threaten to break long-standing ties and and even dare them to withdraw aid.
Still, we hope that the next days will be more sobering for the President and for the nation: That he may realize he can get a lot done without calling unnecessary attention to himself and that the rest of the country can snap out of the rock-star worship it seems to have towards Mr. Duterte.
Try hard as we might, we cannot use creative imagination to convince ourselves everything is all right. We cannot accept excuses that he is tired or hungry or just provoked. We cannot always doubt our own understanding of the words he so clearly utters. Or, when everything fails, tell ourselves he is just like Jesus.
Mr. Duterte still has more than 2,000 days as our leader. Let’s brace ourselves for a ride—and hope it won’t be extreme.
