CEBU CITY -- Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III said he agrees that the “war on drugs is far from over” and that it should not be “sidelined” as what President Rodrigo Duterte said in his 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.
Davide said that although the President’s campaign against illegal drugs has been very successful, it needs to be continued and intensified since the problem still exists.
“I was expecting for the President to talk about his accomplishments and I was right in saying that he will renew his commitment in the war against drugs,” Davide said.
The governor, however, refused to rate Duterte’s overall performance as President but he said he gives the Chief Executive the “thumbs up” in the fight against illegal drugs.
Davide said he was also glad that the President tackled the issue surrounding the Tax Reform for Accelaration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law as it was very enlightening to the public.
The Philippine News Agency tried but failed to reach Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña for his reaction.
However, on the report that former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took his oath as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives before Duterte delivered his SONA, the mayor said on his Facebook page: “Wish granted. Yaay.”
In an earlier press conference, Osmeña said he wish that reports on replacing House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez will come true.
Meanwhile, a group of college students said they were happy that Duterte did not “curse” in his SONA.
“We are also glad that the President did not say anything bad about the Almighty God,” they said.
Remedios Sarmiento, a 73-year-old street vendor, said in Cebuano: “I really hope that the price of (a kilo) of rice will decrease and workers’ salary will increase a bit more. I’m against the spate of killings, but if that’s the only way to fight the drug problem, so be it. I’m glad that he (Duterte) became President because the drug problem has been minimized.”
John Cabulan, 40, a hospital worker, said he is in favor of intensifying the war on drugs for the safety of the Cebuano public. “Although bloody, it has to be done.”
He also believes that Duterte can lower the price of rice, but it will take time. “He can do it. Let’s just wait for it to happen. Patience is a virtue.”
Twenty-one-year-old Erica Sasam, who works at SM Seaside Cebu, said she’s very glad that another wage increase will take effect next month as the President announced. “I don’t have problems with how Duterte is running the country,” she added. (With Bebie Jane Casipong/PNA)
