He makes a lot of promises, and he doesn’t fulfill them. Like a traditional politician, he dispenses a lot of talk and just like any politician, he is just all talk. Just like a dog, he is all bark and no bite. Supporters, of course, will contest this claim – but generally, this is the summation of the current Duterte Administration.
From day one of his election or even prior to his election, the increase in salary of government workers were brandied about by politicians, a year after the elections, with all the noise and promises made by this president, there is still no salary increase for government workers. Ironically, the one who made the current salary increase of government employees is credited to the previous administration via his enacted legislation.
He promised that the scourge of drugs gripping the republic will end with his election. Sadly, he promised that such would end within months of his election (within three months) but extended to six months, to up to the end of his term. The flipside of this is the shortcut of dealing with drug criminals via extra judicial killings. At the moment, at least seven thousand deaths were already credited to the drug campaign of the sitting president and all of them find their ending and credit at the footstep of the palace.
President Duterte will curse to high heaven just to get his way, his presidential rantings are legendary and does not fit the office that he occupies (just visit youtube or the internet), psychologically - he sets a bad example to the country and other minions as a presidential role model. His example is a bad license to succeeding government officials (elected and appointed).
And just like any politician, he will say another especially if such is popular, but still do the easiest thing to do which is convenient and typical of a traditional politician. The Kadamay incident is one very good example.
His prostitution on foreign policy is also a cause for concern, China is flexing its muscle and grabbing territories that is legally declared as well within the boundaries of the territory of the republic and yet, with all he bravado overtly displayed by this president, he is for the forgiving treatment of China. China is the offending party, China is the supplicant in this equation and yet for all of his alleged bravery, and notorious reputation, the presidential fire and brimstone is directed somewhere else, where such is not needed.
For better or for worse, President Rodrigo R. Duterte will test the democratic roots of the republic, can the republic stand a challenge on human rights, with the threat of declaration of martial law, can the republic survive another challenge to its democratic experiment?
A negative response will catapult the country back to the middle ages, where there is no democracy, where there is patronage, where there is no justice, where connection is more important than ability. Where there is no human rights and where President Rodrigo R. Duterte is right all along, where Filipinos do not deserve self-determination and doomed to a life of hardship without dignity.
Right or wrong, the presidency of Duterte will test democracy for the Philippines. Protagonists and antagonists will play their part and ten years from now, I will be proven correct or dead wrong. I hope to be proven wrong, but I also hope to be still alive to claim and say, I told you so…
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