Zamboanga residents hopeful as first Mindanaoan president takes oath

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines -- Optimism spread among the residents here even before President Rodrigo Duterte uttered the first line in his inaugural speech as he assumed the presidency.

 

“Finally, he’s there and change is coming for us especially here in Mindanao,” said Nicarter Saldua, a cab operator, while watching the live broadcast of Duterte walking to the platform at the Palace.

 

Antonio Solon, a coconut sap collector, expressed the common sentiments of the people on the streets who hope that the government will address corruption and criminality, which has eroded the lives of people.

 

Solon, looking at his ‘parokyanos’ (clients) having a morning drinking session, said the clients mostly vented their time from drinking due to the lack of opportunity and talks about prostrations seeing failures of the authorities in curbing drug problems that already proliferated if not in all the city’s 98 barangays.

 

However, solon said with the pronouncement of Duterte in waging an unorthodox method against corruption, criminality and illegal drugs, hopes triggered among them.

 

They said even days before Duterte assumed the presidency, some familiar faces who used to openly peddle shabu have either decided to lie low or have surrendered to authorities.

 

Hundreds more who claim to be drug offenders even came out to seek a second chance.

 

Young laborers were also optimistic on Duterte’s promises to remove the practice of contractual labor.

 

“Ang hirap kasing magre-apply palagi. We have to keep on securing the documents. Buti pa naman kung libre lang ito, it always runs by the thousands ang gastos sa requirement palang. Hindi pa nga naka-trabaho butas na ang bulsa,” said Rose Celestial, a job seeker.

 

The residents here approved of Duterte's pronouncement that he was elected as president to serve the country but not to a particular group.

 

“I serve everyone and not only one,” Duterte said his 15-minute speech.

 

The city government led by Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, 1st district Rep. Celso Lobregat and 2nd district Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe II expressed their full support for Duterte during their inaugural speeches earlier Thursday.

 

Their speeches were timely as a Duterte campaign streamer in front of city hall declared ‘Duterte - diaton este’ (Duterte – this is ours).