Toronto Opinion Survey on Duterte

Toronto Opinion Survey on Duterte

The Philippine Reporter conducted a quick opinion survey about the recent results of the Philippine presidential election.

Questions:

1. What should winning presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte do (policy actions, like poverty reduction, reduce crime, jail corrupt officials, environment protection, peace talks with rebels, etc.) as President in his first 100 days?

2.  What should Filipinos do with Duterte as President?

a.  Support him and his avowed policies but be vigilant against excesses?

b.  Oppose him, replace him, support impeachment against him?

c.  Give him the benefit of the doubt and wait for his actual performance in the first few years or throughout his 6-year term?

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Lui Queaño
Producer/Host, Radio Migrante

1. Duterte’s “passion” for the left will be tested with the resumption of peace talks with NDFP which include persistent problems of human rights abuses and impunity in the country that previous administrations had failed to address. It would be interesting to know how Duterte’s administration will pursue justice for the victims of human rights abuses. I just hope that his electoral promises are not empty rhetorics or he won’t last two years in his new post.

2. The Filipino people have spoken and chose Rodrigo Duterte and we should respect that because he has the mandate of the people. It’s all about politics, let’s reconcile, move forward and support Duterte with vigilance and see how he will fulfill all his campaign promises.

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Teresa M. Torralba
Publisher, WAVES News

1. Mr. Duterte should look at his first 100 days as president as his best opportunity to restore, reshape, reform and rebuild the Philippines according to his plans and vision.  After all, he did set time frames in his plans for a changed Philippines.  He must find jobs and assure his voters that their jobs are secure for the next 6 years at least.  Just like any rookie president, he will make mistakes during his first 100 days, but these human errors must be legitimate and not repeated. He must know what crisis to attack first:  should it be economic stability or approach the rebel camps for peace talks or junk all corrupt government officials?  Lastly, he must include in his first 100-day agenda a tryst with the international media to get rid of the stigma as the “Trump of Asia” which I find disgusting and insulting.  He can explain and apologize for what he had said and done in plain, simple language for the world to have confidence in his presidency.

2. I would give him the benefit of the doubt for his first couple of years because he spoke of “humility”.  If 90+% of the Filipinos have voted for him, I can only assume that they trusted him with all their hearts. If he says that he can get rid of the criminals in the whole archipelago in 6 months, then he must be God-sent.  As always, we can only hope and pray and  wish the Philippines the best.

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Resty del Rosario
President, Kalayaan Cultural Community Centre

1. Eliminate corruption and go after politicians, government officials, military, etc  with  unexplained wealth.  By eliminating corruption, it will have an indirect effect in improving the nation’s economy.
 
2. I will give him the benefit of the doubt. His experience as a Mayor is insignificant compared to running a nation with so much problem. He needs to learn how to represent a nation to the outside world and attract foreign investors. Should be familiar with Human Rights and he cannot ignore the justice system. His vigilante style of governance might work at the Municipal Level but will not be acceptable at the National Level.

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Ysh Cabana
Anakbayan Toronto

1. Rodrigo Duterte should match his talk on being the first ‘leftist’ president of the Philippines by exercising his power to push for policies that are pro-poor through the formation of civilian led, people’s councils at most levels of government. Key economic policies to reduce poverty should be introduced by fixing a personal wage cap, to ensure food sufficiency through national industrialization. Duterte should promote the people’s democratic rights by holding referendums before approving any laws, especially with the Constitution.

2. The election of Duterte as the president, albeit with the large turnout of voters, is just one branch of the government. We should shift our mindset from president-centrism towards the logic of majority rule. We need to cherish the government for the people, by the people.