A Cebu lawyer's analysis on why President Rody Duterte remains popular



Compiled photo of Atty. Josephus Jimenez and President Rodrigo Duterte while visiting the families in Cebu after a landslide (from Philstar)



President Rodrigo Roa Duterte by far is the best President of the Philippines.

It is not by pure luck he became the 16th President of the Philippines, by far he, with the exception maybe of Ramon Magsaysay is the most down to earth or “pinoy na pinoy” in common parlance to be elected as chief executive of the land.



He is what he is

A city mayor for more than 20 years in the province, the very first President who came from the country’s biggest island, Mindanao- that has been marked in history to be a bed place of mix cultures and customs which gave birth to different ideologies that has ripened to  a lot of insurgencies.

But what makes Digong really a click with the masses?

Columnist and lawyer from Cebu, Atty. Josephus B. Jimenez in his article in the Freeman hits the bull’s eye in describing the chief executive.



In my analysis, the people love him because he has no pretensions. He is frank, brutally frank, at times. He does not make “bola” with you just so that you may feel good. He is very natural. He has no effort to adorn his words the way PNoy used purist Tagalog to hide any insecurity under the flowery Balagtas literary language. President Rody speaks his mind and pushes protocol out the window. He does not attempt to wear clothing that makes him uncomfortable. He is very casual, spontaneous, he does not follow scripts or choreography. You get what you see, no masks, no packaging. He is just a simple provinciano who accidentally became president.*

President Duterte is a very good copy for reporters and media professionals. He is as colorful as the old Amang Rodriguez and Mayor Arsenio Lacson combined. He is a joker too and a patient storyteller. The people do love him because his looks, his language, and even his demeanor are just like any other guy in the street. He makes no effort to please people. And most often, he tells the truth, even the ugly and harsh truth. He has no fear, and he has no inhibitions. He does not care whether you love him or you hate him. He remains to be himself. And for that, the people hold him in high esteem.



A medicine for the nation

Indeed Duterte is a popular president, despite left and right attacks against his administration he continues to enjoy at least 75% popularity among the masses, which is why his policies still enjoy support from the people, who for years have longed change from poverty, helplessness, and despair.

Digong gives the common Filipino the medicine we don’t want to take but the very one that is good for us all as a nation. Examples of those are – limiting if not totally eradicating graft and corruption in government, peace and order throughout the islands, longer lasting peace accords with big rebellious groups in Mindanao like from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front, and the New Peopple’s Army, a truly independent Foreign Policy that is not subservient to any state, the much needed political will in preserving and conserving our natural resources and environment the list can go on and on.



All of this is not to cover the shortcomings and mistakes of Duterte, he has committed them, but these things Filipinos can let go, since most if not all of us have the bigger prize in mind in the future - a progressive and peaceful Philippines for all Filipinos to be proud of.



Source: Philstar

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