With a landslide victory in the Philippines presidential election, Rodrigo Duterte was given the trust by the nation due to his prior successes as mayor in the city of Davao, said BYU-Hawaii students from the island nation. Duterte passed all of his competitors with 39 percent of votes, reported BBC.
Duterte has found great acclaim because of his work as mayor of the city Davao on the south island, said Nhil Banda, an international culture studies senior from the Philippines.
“The people of that city believe in him because they see how the city has changed and how it differs from other cities, especially the capital Manila. It is cleaner, safer, and they have better facilities,” said Banda. He said the people believe Duterte will be able to implement this success in the rest of the country. “He will be able to change the way the laws are observed.”
Louell Jeanne C. Lorzano, a senior in political science who is currently interning for the U.S. Embassy in Manila, the capital of her home country the Philippines, was born in Davao City and is one of Duterte’s supporters.
“I have known Duterte since I was in my elementary years. He was the mayor of Davao City for more than 20 years and his experience with three branches of government qualified him to be the next president. I believe his strong political will and charisma as a leader will win over the hearts of many Filipinos.”
She continued, “His love for God and for his country is felt deeply. Although he is not sharing the same religious belief as ours, he implemented laws in Davao City that prohibit smoking in public areas, limit liquor intake, and hunts down drug abusers.
"In addition, he was able to provide a 911 emergency hotline in Davao City, which is also present in the United States and Canada. His proven track record is clear evidence that he has the ability to make things happen for the entire Philippines.”Nevertheless, doubts remain if Duterte will be able to implement what he did in Davao City in the rest of the country.
“I am not sure if Davao city can represent the whole country because the Philippines are separated by different islands,” said Felmar Malate Bagol, a senior studying business from the Philippines. “The culture on the metropolitan one is different from the others. But I think he can if people will participate.”
Banda said though he feels more comfortable back home since Duterte won, the new president is nevertheless an extremist in his ways and has been compared to former dictators. “He is not a very traditionally politian,” observed Bagol. “They say he is the Donald Trump of the Philippines, but the Filipinos like him because he is different. His way of talking is like you normally only talk between really close friends.”
Gabrielle Retuta, an alumnus from the Philippines, is one of the skeptics. “I am from the north and didn’t experience all the changes, but a lot of people tell me about it.” Although she is grateful for his contribution in Davao, she said, “[Though] the government needs someone with an iron rule, at the same time, [Duterte] is not somebody I would be proud of to represent my country.”
Bagol continued, “The thing I really don’t like is that you don’t know if he is serious about what he is talking about.” What he says today in the media, he will regard a joke the next day, Bagol said with lament.
Retuta said, “The Philippines is a developing country. They would need every help from already developed countries to go international, to learn more, and to have better economics. It seems the way Duterte has been talking he wants to cut ties with the U.S. and Australia. I am expecting whoever is president to represent my country to other nations in a really positive light.”
She continued, “What disappointed me in the election was that most of the people knew that Miriam Santiago would be a better candidate. She has the experience and knows the legal things, but people were worried another candidate than one of the two would win, so they gave the vote to Duterte.”
Most of the Filipinos look forward with hope for the country to make progress in the future with Duterte’s stewardship, according to Lorzano. “Everyone is beyond excited and is looking forward for his plans of ‘real change’ for the welfare of the Filipino people,” he said.
Retuta said, “I see that he has good points he wants to change. When you read the Book of Mormon, the leader has a great role in how the people are. You can say King Noah was wicked and the people suffered. You can say King Mosiah was righteous and the people were rich and good. I just hope Duterte would exemplify whatever values he has as a Christian.”
Though Retuta would have preferred Santiago, she concluded, “I would still support his policies as long as I think they are righteous and for the better of everybody. Retaliating against him would not help. I hope he can prove all of those who didn’t believe in him wrong and those who do believe in him right.”