A year later

“I awoke one morning and found myself famous.” — Lord Byron

TO date, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte stands tall, credible, and trusted.

Since assuming the presidency, the Chief Executive has launched a brutal and bloody war against drug trafficking, drug addiction, corruption, and criminality, and has crisscrossed the nation that no previous president had done in one year.

However, the hectic schedule and heavy workload have resulted in exhaustion, over-fatigue, and exasperation that have exacted a heavy toll on the President’s health.

Nevertheless, with the liberation of Marawi City, which is his defining moment, President Digong Duterte is on a roll, recharged and rearing to accomplish what he had promised to achieve.

First, Pres. Duterte boldly committed an honest and clean government in six years, pari-passu with drastic suppression of drug trafficking which have shown dramatic results.

Along the way, he embellishes his homilies with foul language and cuss words which are theatrical props to shock and awe his startled audience.

Though daunting in magnitude, Pres. Digong means what he says.

Second, for whatever ulterior reasons triggered the diplomatic wrinkle, Duterte boldly embarked on an independent foreign policy that is not tied up like an umbilical cord to the United States by seeking open ties and greater relations not only with Japan, but more importantly, with China and Russia towards a more flexible foreign policy and more liberal foreign investments.

Third, Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte has served notice to ISIS and other jihadists that the Philippines will not tolerate terrorist incursion and rebellion in Mindanao.

The declaration of martial law in Mindanao was a quick and decisive decision by the President.

While the Maute offensive in Marawi City was costly, devastating, and unexpected, it served notice to rebels and insurgents that the government will not allow Philippine sovereignty to be compromised or humiliated.

When all is said and done, Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte has not only initiated game-changing reforms and policy changes which will not bear results overnight since they require long gestation periods but the President has also opened the Philippines to foreign investors and infrastructure priorities without neglecting or overlooking the people’s need for higher income, employment, education, social services, security, and judicial reforms.

In sum, Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte has done them all but it takes time to accomplish them.

You be the judge.