Well wishes for...
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio sent a birthday greeting to the President via Facebook and attached a photograph of the President, herself, and her newborn Stonefish.
“Happy Birthday Digong. Padala humba diri sa balay karun paniudto, salamat (Send braised pork over to the house for lunch). Good health, cheers!” the Davao mayor posted.
The President’s son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte likewise wished him a happy birthday and expressed gratitude for risking his life for the country. “Pa, we are here on the sidelines always supporting you and fighting with you for the good of our beloved Philippines,” he wrote in Bisaya.
Well wishers A number of Cabinet members used the social media to share their birthday wishes for the President.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana tweeted: “Happy birthday, Mayor @ RRD_Davao! I wish you long life and good health. Many happy returns!”
“Happy Birthday President Rodrigo Roa Duterte! May you achieve the noble dreams you have for our Philippines!” Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar posted on Facebook.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo also wished the President’s good health and protection from harm and injury.
“I join the millions who gave you the spectacular mandate in their prayers and implorations to the God Almighty that He showers you with the blessings of good health and for Him to send you His Angels in Heaven to spread their wings over you to protect you from harm and injury that you may accomplish your goal in eradicating the ills that plague the country and creating the foundations to propel this country in economic growth and progress,” Panelo said.
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua gave the President two artworks, including a portrait of the First Family, and a painting to mark the year of the rooster.
The ambassador presented the gifts to the President during a meeting in Davao City, on the eve of his birthday. In the short clip by the Radio-Television Malacañang, the President appeared grateful for the large paintings given by the Chinese envoy.
Good health
Vice President Leni Robredo, too, had a gift for Duterte who had earlier accused her to be behind moves to unseat him: A prayer.
“Prayer that his health would be better. That’s what we pray for everyone,” Robredo said in Filipino during a radio interview.
Robredo, who served for five months as housing chief in the Duterte administration also wished that the Duterte administration would succeed.
“Also prayer for a successful leadership because this is not only for him, this is for everyone,” Robredo said.
Amid the brewing tension between her and Duterte, Robredo is not losing hope that the President would take positively her opposition against some of his policies.
Robredo has been vocal against Duterte’s bloody drug war and the re-imposition of the death penalty.
“We believe that a leader who listens becomes a better leader,” she said, adding that when cooperation is allowed, Duterte’s leadership would be more successful for the benefit of each and every Filipino.
Robredo maintained she would continue to support the administration’s positive initiatives while opposing those which she believes are not in the best interest of the people.
Statesman And as the President turns a year older, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said, “It’s time to be statesmanlike.”
“Ako ang wish ko lang sa kanya magsimula na siya maging statesmanlike. (My wish for him is to start acting like a statesman),” Lacson told reporters, adding this was what Duterte promised during the campaign that “in due time, he would metamorphose into a statesman.”
Lacson noted the President has yet to fulfill that promise. “Hindi pa nangyayari yan (That hasn’t happened yet),” the senator said.
Noting that the President still has five years in his term, “Baka sakali (hopefully),” Lacson said.
Asked if there are things that the President needs to change, Lacson replied in the affirmative.
“Marami, actually. Ang kanilang pakikipagtungo sa media, sa mga senador, sa mga kongresista, sa mga LGUs (local government units) and the public in general (There’s a lot to change. Their relationship with the media, the senators),” said Lacson. (With reports from Elena L. Aben and Raymund F. Antonio)