The cloning of Digong Duterte

In the province of Batangas there is a growing phenomenon that I can only describe as the “Cloning of Digong Duterte.” It is a situation where a number of town and city mayors have started to copy Digong Duterte’s style of leadership as well as fashion sense. I’ve always supported local officials with strong political will, but it must be complimented with wisdom and good judgment. It is one thing to imitate but another to exaggerate especially when using the threat of violence.

I recently learned of a case, where a motorcycle rider driving at high speed, lost control, crossed to the opposite-oncoming lane, slammed into and under an Adventure AUV. The biker died on the spot, the AUV driver was arrested in front of his 10-year-old daughter. The town PNP detained the driver for 4 days and only released him without charge when Judge Angie Fidel from another town (Cuenca) sent her staff to deal with the PNP. Sources believe that the detention without charge took place so an “Extra-Judicial settlement” could take place.

When the parties involved finally showed up at the fiscal’s office in an adjacent city, I was told that a 3 car convoy arrived and the Mayor of the small town showed up to encourage the defendant to compensate the bereaved party because that is the custom in his town in order to avoid “Ubusan ng lahi” or a blood bath. I have to admire this mayor for crossing the border into the neighboring city just to show his support for his town mate. But this “Duterte Clone” obviously failed to realize that his visit and statement could have been considered a veiled threat and an act of “Dissing” or disrespecting the Mayor of the City where the hearing was? The City Mayor is quite well known on national radio as someone who has long been like President Duterte and tough on drug dealers.

President Duterte ought to call the attention of the wanna-be clones to tone down their veiled threats or bravado. The last thing we need is for Duterte Clones to turn the country into a “hilly-Billy” nation of gun totting – cussing politicians turning on civilians and taxpayers.

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I said it was happening but no one at the DOJ paid attention. So now we hear in the news how 35 frontline officers of the Bureau of Immigration have resigned from their post, 50 have filed for a 6-month leave presumably terminal leaves and how travellers at the NAIA arrivals and departure gates are piling up because the immigration counters are undermanned and overwhelmed.

Back in the early days of the Duterte administration, PRRD was advised to declare certain positions as vacant. PRRD was also advised to ban or limit the hiring or appointment of “Consultants” regardless of the fact that some are actually legitimate and making serious contributions to government operations. There was also the suggestion to stop the One Negros “law” making Negros one Region instead of having two provinces. In effect, President Duterte is being fed policy recommendations with good intentions, maybe, but actually creating disastrous results.

To begin with, most if not all these streamlining and cost cutting measures were floated well in advance but from what I gathered, was not backed by public consultation. It was more like an advanced warning before the bombing raid just so the civilians could get out. Stakeholders and those directly affected were never asked.

So now people at the BI have started to evacuate or go on leave believing that once Duterte has made up his mind, no one can change it.

When announcements were made that the one-Negros proposal was a No-deal, government personnel in Negros particularly those in National government agencies were doing back flips on budgets, hiring and authorizations. Ever since the PRRD declaration, a number of agencies where positions were declared vacant are like towns for the Walking Dead because people don’t know if they are still hired or fired. In short, the President got poor advice that has placed him in a bad light at the expense of Civil Servants and taxpayers. Now would be a good time for the President to review some of those cost cutting, budget streamlining suggestions and conduct some auto-correction. No one is perfect and we must all have the humility to recognize when an idea fails or causes unnecessary injury to persons and institutions.

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I often hear and read about rising numbers of Urinary Tract Infections and increasing cases of dialysis treatments. I’ve also heard about how all these are associated with unsanitary conditions, high intake of salt, insufficient intake of water especially summer, all of which results in medical and financial disasters especially for the lower economic class in society. People working in government hospitals or at the DOH always highlight the need for more dialysis machines and facilities. But barely addressing the problem on the ground.

While travelling all over the Philippines, the general situation I observed is that most public toilets especially in schools and multipurpose gyms are health threats by themselves. They are filthy and poorly maintained and generally unsanitary. They usually serve as housing for cockroaches, rats and mosquitoes. There are no dedicated attendants or cleaners and some actually don’t have running water.  So is it any wonder that kids hold back their pee because the toilets are scary, putrid smelling or filthier than their toilet in the squatter’s area?

Why not consider making the Department of Health or DOH responsible for INDEPENDENTLY monitoring school and public toilets and require them to report their findings directly to the DILG. The DILG officials once they are done with their stupid Leadership Brat-Brawl might finally get some work done and turn their tempers and tongues on Mayors to build, fix, or send cleaning crews to clean up those toilets regularly. Or friends in national media particularly radio ought to feature a “Roll of Honor” as well as a “Toilet Paper Award” for LGUs and schools with the worst toilets. They can use the toilet paper to wipe their faces in embarrassment.

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