He might be the “brightest star” in Philippine politics today, but President Rodrigo Duterte believes he would be nothing after two years.
In a speech Thursday, Duterte called himself, Senator Christopher Go, and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano the “brightest stars” at the moment in the country’s political scene, but admitted that this would not last.
“Like me…Senator Bong, Speaker (Cayetano), we are the brightest stars today. Look at the political sky and you will see us, shining. But I know that in about two years’ time, that light would dim and I would be nothing,” he said during the launch of the Elderly Program Center in Taguig City, the Cayetanos’ bailiwick.
Duterte also cited what appears to be his favorite Bible passage from the book of Ecclesiastes, which he has repeatedly mentioned in his previous speeches.
He was referring to Ecclasiastes 11:9, which says, according to the New Living Translation, “Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do.”
He added: “That’s life. There is a time for everything in this world. A time to be young and a time to be old.
“There is a time for happiness, there is a time for sorrow. As there is a time for plenty, and there is a time for want. And there is a time for joy and a time to ponder and a time to be healthy.”
Halfway through his term, Duterte maintains high trust and satisfaction ratings despite criticisms in his anti-narcotics campaign as well as investment and trade ties with Beijing, including over resources in the disputed West Philippine Sea.
Go and Cayetano are his political allies.
Go served as Duterte’s trusted aide for two decades before finishing third in the May 2019 midterm elections, next to veteran Senators Cynthia Villar and Grace Poe.
Cayetano, meanwhile, was Duterte’s losing vice presidential partner in 2016.
He won in the May elections as Taguig-Pateros Representative and was elected House Speaker last July, under a term-sharing deal with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.
In his speech, Duterte also lauded Taguig City’s launch of its Elderly Program Center, underscoring that the elderly is a vulnerable sector of society.
“Now is the time that we give back to them by letting them know how grateful we are for having them and by honoring their crucial role in our lives,” Duterte said.
“These benefits will surely make them healthier and more productive as they endure old age. These will also be their source of strength and inspiration as they continue to enjoy their lives and share in our collective task of developing and nurturing our society,” he added.
The Elderly Program Center of Taguig City is a five-floor building which has a clinic, conference room, ballroom/gym, dialysis center, recreational center, and movie theater.