By Manny Piñol
The surveys conducted by polling agencies show that of the estimated 50 million voters all over the country, 86% are happy with the way President Rody Duterte handles the affairs of the state.
That leaves only a negligible 14% in a country of 105 million people expressing dissatisfaction and discontentment with Duterte’s brand of governance.
But this small group is composed of moneyed and influential cabal of people whose lifestyle and economic gains were affected by Duterte’s uncompromising campaign against drugs, crime and corruption.
These are the people who I believe are afflicted with a disease worse than cancer. They have eyes but they refuse to see and they have ears but they refuse to listen.
These are the people who have focused their criticisms on Duterte’s language, his out of the box thinking and his refusal to follow political norms.
What are they missing? Or better still, what have they continued to ignore?
1. In less than 100 days, President Duterte’s peace negotiators were able to strike a deal with the pesky Communist group, the New People’s Army and its umbrella organisation, the National Democratic Front (NDF).
All is relatively quiet in the boondocks following the declaration of a ceasefire between government forces and the NPAs.
This is a major accomplishment but did the 14% ever notice? No, they are focused on the EJK and Duterte’s cusses.
2. For the first time in so many years, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is quiet with no reported skirmishes between its cadres and the soldiers.
This is so unlike the events which the nation witnessed not too long ago when 44 Special Action Force policemen were killed in an ill-planned operation to kill a known foreign terrorist.
The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members under Nur Misuari have been silent and were in fact collaborating with the government in running after the terror group Abu Sayyaf.
3. Silently, the Armed Forces of the Philippines are winning the war against the notorious terror and kidnap for ransom group Abu Sayyaf with very lives of soldiers lost.
By decisively addressing the Abu Sayyaf problem, the Duterte administration has brought about an atmosphere of security.
4. The government’s campaign against drugs and criminality has made the streets safer for the Filipino population.
For the first time, Filipinos are seeing the extent of the drugs scourge in the country which involves top civilian and police officials.
5. For the first time in the history of Philippine agriculture, farmers are given Free Irrigation.
It took a deep resolve on the part of the President to deliver the commitment because even top irrigation officials were against it.
6. Without so much fanfare, the P2,000 additional pension for Social Security Services members was given through legislations made by both Congress and the Senate.
7. For the first time, government officials and workers have shown discipline and fear in committing acts of corruption as the Ombudsman, operating without any influence and pressure from Malacañang, issues dismissal orders against erring public officials.
8. Talk to foreigners coming into the country and they will tell you that there are surprising changes in the behaviour of people in the airports.
There are no more mulcting activities and even taxi drivers charge the correct fare on their passengers.
There is so much more but the discontented 14% have ignored these historic accomplishments and refreshing changes in government and society.
They have instead focused on alleged state-sponsored killings of drugs suspects and the language of President Duterte.
They have turned a blind eye and refused to listen to the sights and sounds of changes and allowed hatred and envy to consume them.
I was told once that there are three places people’s end up when they die.
Good people go to heaven, the bad ones go to hell but those who are consumed with hatred and envy are thrown into a lake of human wastes where they have to tiptoe to avoid ingesting it.
That’s a horrible fate.
(Photos downloaded from Google)
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