It has been a year since President Duterte took his oath as the 16th President of the Philippines after a landslide victory in the 2016 polls against candidates earlier favored by pundits. The former Davao City mayor, known for his tough-talking rhetoric and “unforgiving” language, promised to bring change upon the Filipino nation.
His famous “change is coming” slogan during the campaign period has indeed caused an epidemic of change across the archipelago, earning him supporters and critics alike. Much has been said about the unorthodox Chief Executive and more is expected to come, but Duterte is dead set to implement his policies without compromise.
With blood spilled on the streets, terrorism rearing its ugly head in southern Philippines, infrastructure rolled out in major urban centers and alleged corrupt officials sacked, among others, Duterte marked his first year in office with mixed signals that earned the interest—many times ire—of the international community. He was referred to as “Durerte Harry”, his followers called “Duterdards”, likened at times to the North Korean leader, but is the “Mahal na Pangulong Digong” to most Filipinos based on surveys.
Communications Secretary Martin M. Andanar said the Chief Executive is simply fulfilling his promise to the people, which is to rid the country of illegal drugs, crime and corruption.
“On the first year of this administration, the President acted on the fundamentals regarding the war against illegal drugs, corruption and criminality, including now the war against terrorism with the martial-law declaration in the islands of Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi,” Andanar told reporters in a text message.
“As he said, the fight would be relentless and sustained, and we have commenced with policies and programs already in place, moving and evidently supported by the people in continuing programs that bring back the faith and trust in the government,” Andanar added.
Stable enough
For Maria Fe Villamejor-Mendoza, dean of the University of the Philippines National College for Public Administration and Governance, Duterte has maintained an administration stable enough to neutralize threats against the public and the government.
“His longstanding alliance with the left, the communist rebels and the Muslim separatists had given him the political stability he needs. Due to his government’s engagement in the peace table, although at times on and off, he was able to build and maintain a bridge with opposing forces that formerly caused social unrest to previous administrations,” Villamejor-Mendoza told the BusinessMirror.
Villamejor-Mendoza added the Chief Executive was “genius enough” to frame himself as a leader who is not directly aligned with any political color. “He has right-wing military men in his Cabinet. He has appointed left-leaning secretaries. I think that’s populist, but it worked to the regime’s advantage,” she said.
Wise moves
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), for its part, has lauded Duterte’s commitment to pursuing peace with the communist rebels. “The administration has made great strides in resuming the peace process with the National Democratic Front [NDF]. The President’s action of resuming the talks based on previously signed agreements, releasing key NDF leaders and consultants for the talks and appointing a number of NDF nominees to his Cabinet and other high posts, have done well to establish confidence and goodwill on both sides,” the statement read.
However, Bayan lamented the lack of substantial socioeconomic and constitutional reforms discussed on the negotiating table, as the group believed the government panel is so insistent to agree on a bilateral cease-fire.
“Despite government’s failure to release 400 or so remaining political prisoners and its insistence on a bilateral cease-fire as a requirement for the talks to prosper, four rounds of formal negotiations have been held, resulting in unprecedented accomplishments in the effort to forge substantial agreements on social and economic reforms, political and constitutional reforms and the cessation of hostilities and disposition of forces,” Bayan said.
Cabinet appointees
Villamejor-Mendoza agreed on this, describing the President as someone who would talk peace with you today and then declare war against you tomorrow. “Not only against the communists, he did this to many of his critics, especially those vocal against his war against drugs,” the public-governance expert said.
Villamejor-Mendoza added Duterte’s Cabinet seems not to make sense at all. “There are too many military men in his Cabinet. It simply nailed the accusation against him that he appoints either military men or longtime friends,” she said.
This goes the same for foreign relations, Villamejor-Mendoza said, as Duterte is turning out to be black and white in engaging bilateral partners. She said that while Duterte’s move to distance himselffrom the United States is commendable, his step to pivot to China is condemnable.
Bayan agreed to the observation. As a vocal critic of US intervention, the group lauded Duterte’s intention to separate the Philippines from the Western superpower. However, it warned the administration of the trap it might be falling into now that it is engaging China with head bowed down.
“China has committed to pour in billions in private investments in the country and fund various infrastructure projects. All these in exchange for Duterte’s nonassertion of the Philippines’s sovereign rights in the disputed areas where China’s continues its military buildup and reclamation activities,” Bayan said.
Whether Duterte did a fairly excellent on his first year, one thing is sure: The roller-coaster-like regime will carry on its policies, as Duterte himself said in a recent interview.
“I only make an assessment after my term. It’s a roller coaster, actually. While you are there, it’s a roller coaster. It should be at the end of the ride [that the public should assess my presidency],” he said.
Image credits: AP/Aaron Favila, Radio Television Malacanang via AP Video