SEND-OFF. Well-wishers attend the thanksgiving event and concert “Salamat (Thank you), PRRD” at Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Sunday (June 26, 2022). Officials and the public alike praised President Rodrigo Duterte’s compassion and political will to implement peace initiatives and stop illegal drugs. (PNA photo by Robinson L. Niñal Jr.)
MANILA – Gratitude and love for President Rodrigo Duterte overflowed at the thanksgiving event “Salamat (Thank you), PRRD” at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on Sunday.
Joan Manodom 31, traveled from Zamboanga del Norte to personally thank Duterte for the government’s assistance after her husband, a soldier, was killed in an encounter in Jolo, Sulu on April 17, 2020.
In an interview, she narrated that Duterte made sure the families of the slain soldiers are well-taken care of.
“Noong nangyari 'yung encounter na iyon, na-ambush sila. Isa si Pangulong Duterte na sumuporta sa amin na nawala man ‘yung mahal namin sa buhay, ‘yung asawa namin, hindi niya kami pinabayaan. Binigay niya sa amin lahat (When the encounter happened, they were ambushed. President Duterte supported us. Our loved ones might have been gone, our husbands, he did not abandon us. He gave us everything we needed),” she said.
Manodom is a beneficiary of the Comprehensive Social Benefits Program for dependents of killed-in-action soldiers (CSBP-KIAS) and killed-in-police-operations officers.
Fellow dependents of KIAS attended the event.
She and their child have been receiving financial, employment, livelihood, educational, housing, and health care assistance.
“Para sa akin, isa siyang tatay. Tatay na sobrang mahal na mahal niya ang sambayanang Pilipino (For me, he is like a father. A father who loves the Filipino people so much),” Manodom said.
Duterte will step down on June 30 as “the most popular president of the post-Edsa 1 era”, based on the results of the PUBLiCUS survey conducted from June 16 to 22.
PUBLiCUS executive director Aureli Sinsuat said in a statement Monday that no other President who served under the 1987 Constitution ended their terms with majority approval and trust ratings, much less a supermajority of public support.
PUBLiCUS’ PAHAYAG Second Quarter survey results showed that 75 percent of 1,500 respondents approved or strongly approved of Duterte’s performance during his six-year term.
Maguindanao Governor Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu said Duterte had the political will to push for long-lasting and genuine peace in Mindanao.
Mangudadatu cited Duterte’s fulfilled promise of pushing for the Bangsamoro Organic Law, creating the Bangsamoro government, and ensuring peaceful lives for the minority groups, the Moro people.
She also commended Duterte’s sincerity to serve the nation as well as his fight against illegal drugs and criminality.
“Humahanga po tayo dahil ‘yung issue po ng iligal na droga sa ating bansa ay nabawasan. Hindi man natin na-eradicate ito perfectly, pero may malaking kabawasan pa rin. Alam natin na hindi ito perpekto dahil ang six years ay kulang na kulang sa pamumuno ng ating mahal na Presidente (We are impressed because the issue of illegal drugs in our country has been reduced. Even though we have not eradicated it, there is still a big reduction. We know it’s not perfect because six years of our beloved President is not enough),” she added.
Mangudadatu likewise hopes the Marcos administration will be able to sustain the gains under the Duterte’s term, including the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.
“Kami po ay nagpapasalamat sa kanya dahil hindi niya rin po pinabayaan ang (We are thankful that he did not neglect) Mindanao,” Mangudadatu said.
Darwin Rosa, a Pasay City resident, said he admires Duterte’s political will to pursue good governance and his compassion.
“Siya ay isang matapang na pangulo at mapagmahal sa mga ordinaryong tao (He is a brave President and loving to ordinary people,” he said.
Bacoor resident Jigs Gacutan said Duterte’s strong leadership and courage helped lessen the criminality rate.
“Sa lahat ng mga naging Presidente, siya ang pinaka-simple yet nakapatapang at strict padating sa laban kontra droga (He was the simplest among the country’s Presidents, but he was the toughest and strict in terms of the war on drugs), which is the number enemy of our country,” Gacutan said.
Albert Gutierrez, a Duterte supporter from Cavite, said there’s no need to research anymore on how the President served.
“We just have to look around and see what happened in the Philippines. Binalik niya ang tunay at mataas na tingin ng mga taga-ibang bansa sa Pilipinas at sa bawat Pilipino (He restored the real image and respect of foreigners to the Philippines and in every Filipino). That’s why I am very proud as a supporter of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Gutierrez said. (PNA)
