As this historical dawn unfolds, we see a vibrant horizon in the highest overcast beckoning a marvelous light of hope for a progressive future.
The incoming President is not the kind of politician that is being defined as one who thinks of the next election, but a statesman who is concerned of the next generation not only for Mindanao but for the whole country and all the Filipino people. His statesmanship has been long tested when he bears his integrity with conscious dignity as he goes by the political mantle of power placed upon him. His attitude of service has been an exact opposite of those borne by many in leadership position. His character illuminates an attitude of service that is motivated ‘from inside-out’ apart from the worldly norm and general motivation of ‘from outside-in.’ He has proven his worth when he served as Mayor of Davao City for many years, which recognition of prominence has been long noted not only in the Philippines but in the world. With this new overwhelming mandate from the people he is now bound by a rock-hard commitment to prove his capability to turn our country around.
I found sense in most of his developmental programs for economic growth and progress, and his earnest concern for the deprived and the destitute amongst the Filipinos. His words maybe harsh and tough, but it is definite and unbending. Some of us may differ in our interpretation of his programs and hard-wearing statements, but he has explained best the paramount intentions of his governance. He knew that slackness and softness, which characterizes the end of the glory of Rome and Greece---once known to have magnificently prevailed in a barbaric world---, do not have a place in the present kind of our political amphitheater. We need an iron fist and a steel arm to defeat and drive the enemies of law and order.
Now is no time for more critics and skeptics, but for the greater number of motivators and encouragers. This is not a time of continued bickering and contention, but a time for unification and change.
During each shift of administration there always arises the big question of whether the remains of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos be given the honor to be buried in the “Libingan Ng Mga Bayani.” It is only in this dawn of our history that we hear, even during the heights of political campaign, an unswerving declaration that President Marcos should be buried, notwithstanding intense opposition and no matter the critics. The fact that President Duterte gained an overwhelming support of his presidential candidacy proved without question that the people wanted change. Perhaps they believe in unanimity that such a change can only be fully introduced and manifestly initiated by burying this haunting image of the past and leave its remains to the dust; give him the fair chance to stand before the judgment bar of God, then let the break of the dawning day majestically rise to drive the dark night shadows away. After all, during the last thirty years after the dictatorial regime, we seemed to have proven none of the allegations against the Marcoses in our courts of law and even in the hallowed halls of justice in the United States of America in its trial of the century against the Marcoses. We as a nation could not move on much faster and farther in our quest for economic growth and development while carrying this heavy baggage of the past. Therefore, we need to unload and bury the lingering ills and burdens of the drawn-out yesteryears and press forward in rhythmic cadence with a lighter cargo of lessons learned.
Now we are blessed of a President with malice to none, whether they be in favor or against his leadership ideals, except against the enemies of the law and state. He expects of his supporters and all the Filipinos to rally behind his government programs. He made it clear that his iron fisted type of governance is for a stronger force to implement the mandates of the law. It is not about power beyond the law, but a defining move for equality in life, justice and protection for all. He declared with emphasis in his inaugural speech a quote from an unknown author, “I have no friends to serve, I have no enemies to harm.”
His boycott of the press is not to limit our freedom of expression, but a call for a more responsible journalism. In our move forward to our destined glory as a developing nation we need truthful information and unbiased reporting; we need developmental journalism.
Killing the criminals and drug lords, and eliminating corruption in government had been his battle cry during the heights of his presidential campaign, which incited mounting opposition from human rights advocates, the Catholic Church, and other civil groups. But he moved not an inch of retraction, not even from the overriding threat of losing his bid for the presidency. His words, even after he won, remained firm and immovable.
The multi-billion peso giant of illegal drug trade, criminality and massive corruption in government is to him a Goliath to beat. And we are lucky that we now have a David who is determined to have this giant down, for our country and people to march forward in rhythmic cadence into the realms of economic prosperity and abundant life for the Filipino people.
As the morning breaks and new pages of our national history reels, let us give HIS EXECELLENCY, PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE the chance to sow the seeds of unification and change into the soil of our hearts and fertile fields of our land and assist him in the nurturing of our long deserted and battered economic landscape to make this country bloom and blossom like a rose. Let us help him feed the tiger cub that it may develop into a full-grown economic tiger.
