Duterte marks last year in office

MANILA, Philippines — As President Duterte marked yesterday the start of his last year in office, a top Malacañang official said the Chief Executive is leaving the presidency without having let up in his fight against illegal drugs while dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

According to presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr., the President takes pride in how he managed the nation and put forward his conviction to fight the drug menace which critics, however, found as a blatant disregard for human rights due to the senseless killings related to the administration’s drug war.

Roque said the President is preparing for his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) this month where he will also outline his accomplishments while in office.

“Maybe the President will give more details during his last State of the Nation Address. But needless to say, he accomplished so many things, fulfilling his promises, particularly in the fight against illegal drugs,” Roque said in Filipino.

Even if Duterte is entering the last year of his six-year term, Roque noted that based on a Pulse Asia poll, the President enjoys high trust and confidence of the people, and that they are satisfied because he stood by his promises, particularly being tough on crime.

The Palace official talked about Duterte’s bloody drug campaign in the wake of the move of the International Criminal Court’s call for victims of the drug war to come forward and present evidence before the ICC.

Apart from the war on drugs, Roque said the Duterte administration also made major strides in the Chief Executive’s relentless drive against corruption and red tape.

In terms of major legislation, Roque cited the law providing free tuition for students enrolled in state universities and colleges, the Universal Health Care Act, free irrigation for small farmers, WiFi interconnectivity for the public and a number of social legislation.

Duterte’s strategy in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic will also be highlighted in the SONA, including government’s providing free vaccines and swab tests to Filipinos, Roque said.