Past and future ‘THE BEST IS SOON TO COME,’ FVR DECLARES IN DAVAO CITY

By Manny Pinol

Davao City – In what was clearly a public but subtle endorsement of Davao City Mayor Rody Duterte for the presidency, former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos took off his shirt and asked the dumbfounded city mayor to wear it in a spectacle which amused

Ramos then wore a white t-shirt marked “Digong” which Duterte earlier signed, flashed his signature right hand “Thumbs Up” and then loudly declared to dozens of people who witnessed the spectacle “The Best is Soon to Come.”

All this happened in front of Filipino and foreign guests who gathered at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City for the welcome dinner of the BIMP-EAGA Summit (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East Asia Growth Area), a Ramos brainchild which is a gathering of Southeast Asian neighbors into an economic and cultural association.

Arriving in a blue shirt printed with “Philippines” in the back, the 86-year-old former President was met by former Press Secretary Jess Dureza, former Presidential Assistant Paul Dominguez and Duterte.

In a subliminal and subtle endorsement of Duterte, who has so far brushed off calls for him to run for President, Ramos asked Duterte to sign a “Digong” (Duterte’s nickname) t-shirt he brought with him, took off his blue shirt and asked Duterte to wear it.

Ramos then wore the “Digong” t-shirt signed by Duterte, flashed his signature “Thumbs Up” sign and declared “The best is soon to come!”

It was classic display of symbolism by Ramos, a brilliant military officer who graduated from the US West Point Military Academy, became a key figure in the 1986 EDSA Revolution and was elected President after President Cory Aquino in 1992.

During the Ramos Presidency, Mayor Duterte was offered the position of DILG Secretary which the latter refused.

Last night’s public endorsement, however, seemed to start sinking into the colorful and controversial city mayor who has so far publicly rejected suggestions for him to vie for the Presidency.

The obvious public endorsement by Ramos followed a closed-door meeting between the two at the Marco Polo Hotel yesterday afternoon which was attended by Dureza and Dominguez.

Sources privy to the meeting said that Mayor Duterte maintained his position that he was not interested and that even if he would be convinced he had no resources to wage a national campaign.

Ramos reportedly told Duterte that the choice was not his to make and advised the City Mayor to think things over deeply.

A Ramos support for Duterte could legitimize what has started as a wild dream by the city mayor’s supporters who believe that his track record of lowering crime rate in the country’s biggest city in land area and his reputation of incorruptibility could save the Philippines from further spiraling down the pit of a culture of corruption.

The former President who heads the Lakas-NUCD party which catapulted him to the Presidency in 1992 is still a key figure in Philippine politics and is credited with the economic turn-around of the country during his term.

Ramos’ endorsement for Duterte could be the game changer in the search for the country’s next President.