SOMEBODY asked me: Why is President Duterte still getting excellent trust and satisfaction ratings?
I must confess I find that question difficult to answer.
Duterte won by a plurality of 38 percent. This means that the 83 percent who trust and who approve of his performance includes those who did not vote for him.
Many people see Duterte as the antithesis of former President BS Aquino III, whose regime was marked by incompetence, lack of compassion, selective justice and vindictiveness.
More importantly, a lot of people see in Duterte a dedicated and committed President. No other president after Ferdinand Marcos has adopted draconian measures to pursue his goals, despite all the condemnation for alleged violation of human rights.
Duterte has been president for only six months, after all.
Truth to tell, I like President Duterte despite his foul mouth. Sometimes he could be confusing and contraditcory. For me, however, he is an interesting personality. Opinion writers love to analyze such complex people.
In fact, I would like to meet President Duterte and get to know him. I have met and talked to many other presidents during my more than six decades as a journalist.
No, I did not vote for Duterte, but I am interested in getting to know somebody who can bring real change. His unorthodox ways are definitely good subject matter for columnists like me.
If there are indeed moves to oust Duterte, they might as well forget it.
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It’s difficult to explain why more than three million Catholics would ignore terror threats and still join the annual procession of the centuries-old statue of the Black Nazarene. They did it again last Monday.
Is it their Catholic faith or fanaticism?
I have asked some Black Nazarene devotees this question, and I believe it’s faith in God. They believe God will make their lives better and heal them.
It is also part of the Filipino culture of honoring patron saints.
When I was a business editor of the defunct Philippines Herald in the 70s and 80s, I used to walk to Plaza Miranda from Intramuros, to take a jeepney back to Quezon City where I lived. On occasion, I would drop by Quiapo Church to pray.
When I saw the faithful walking on their knees, I then knew what faith was.
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So what will be the future of our economy this year, considering all the global uncertainties?
One thing is clear: The Duterte administration needs to attract foreign investments, which can help solve poverty and unemployment. Among all other Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines cannot seem to compete in the matter of foreign investments. The country continues to get crumbs as compared to Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and even Vietnam.
Duterte’s economic managers need to look into this. They also need to address business competitiveness vis-a-vis our neighboring countries.
While our Gross National Product may seem imposing with more infrastructure and consumer spending, there’s still problem of the widening gap between the rich and the poor.
There may be tax reforms, but that’s only part of the problem. We still have restrictive policies on foreign investments and the growing protectionism on the economy.
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You may not believe, but somebody close to Malacañang told me that businessman Roberto “Bobby” Ongpin is related to President Rodrigo Duterte on the Roa side.
The President’s Roa ancestry can be traced to Cebu, and also from Bicol, which can validate the claim of my Palace source that the two are related.
I can believe my source since even my wife, a Capistrano from Cagayan de Oro, is related to the Roas by affinity. The late actuary, Dr. Emeterio Roa, was married to an aunt of my wife. This also makes me related to Duterte by affinity.
Recall that Duterte said Ongpin was an oligarch that must be destroyed. I think that statement was patently unfair.