Here in Davao, our Mayor is Rodrigo Duterte, commonly known as “Rody”. Mayor Duterte is a law and order man, sort of a Dirty Harry (which is a nickname that he does have) for Davao City. Let me just say that no matter who you are, you would never want to do anything to end up on the wrong side of Mayor Duterte. Have no doubt about that, because being on his wrong side would not be a comfortable, or likely a safe place to be.
Duterte was Mayor of Davao during the 1990’s too, and then he ran up against term limits and could not run for re-election again. At that time Duterte ran for Congressman from Davao, and won quite easily. He served one term in Congress and returned to Davao again. All of the national politics bores him, from what I have heard. Anyway, he returned to Davao, even though he could have easily been re-elected to Congress, because he loves the City. As soon as he could, Duterte ran for another term as Mayor of Davao again. During Duterte’s campaigns for Mayor of Davao City, he generally gets 70 to 80% plus of the vote! He is quite popular in the City.
Last year, Duterte was elected to his final term as Mayor of Davao. He is again up against the term limit, and he has kind of made it clear that he won’t be seeking any terms in the future, and there have been rumors that he suffers from a number of health problems. During the last election, Mayor Rody’s daughter, Inday Sara Duterte became the first female Vice Mayor of Davao in history. Inday Sara is a tough law and order lady, perhaps even tougher than her father, and she is expected to be our next elected Mayor here in Davao, keeping the Duterte dynasty in power, even beyond her father’s time of serving the City.
One thing about Mayor Duterte, he is not known for mincing his words. Duterte says, and does exactly what he feel like, without regard as to how it will be taken by people. Mayor Rody has his own TV show, which is called “Gikan sa masa, Para sa masa” which translates to “From the masses, for the masses.” It is a weekly show in which he talks about local happenings, kind of gives his word on laws in the City, politics, etc. At one point in the show, letters from citizens are read, and the Mayor responds.
Last Saturday, I was watching the Mayor’s show, and one of the letters came from a local woman. She wrote in and told the Mayor that she gave birth to triplets in September of this year, and she doesn’t have money to buy milk for the kids. Often, when a letter along these lines comes in, the Mayor will give assistance to the writer, but you just never know for sure what he will do or say. When the Mayor responded to the woman who needed milk for her babies, I was shocked. He said:
Madam, you may want to consider a tubaligation! Just check with the City Health Office.
Wow, it floored me! In the Philippines, birth control is a very touchy subject, because the Catholic Church fights it stringently. Mayor Duterte didn’t mince any words on this issue, though!
I like to watch Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, because it is 100% in Bisaya, so it gives me a chance to practice listening and understanding the language. Another thing that is entertaining is that since Duterte doesn’t mince his words, there are times when it seems like every other word is “bleeped” out by the censors, because it is not appropriate language for use on TV!
I am sure that in the comments a lot of talk will focus on some rather controversial things about Mayor Duterte. That’s OK, and it is probably deserved. As for me, sometimes I feel that the Mayor goes a little far, and from time to time I get to the point where I don’t care for his actions. But, overall, I like the man. For one thing, he turned Davao from being a very dangerous place where there was a lot of violence some 20 years ago, into what is often called the safest city in the Philippines. For that, I thank Mayor Duterte.
photo credit: Keith Bacongco
Hi Bob. 'A man's got to know his limitations.' So he is retiring. 'Does he feel lucky' that he's got his daughter as successor.
"A man's got to do what a man's got to do" and I don't dispute that his time needed a benevolent warlord because of the Mindanao peace and order situation.
For Davao, the times for Datus, Sultans, and Rajahs had long passed though.
Seriously, I wish he strenghthened democratic law enforcement institutions rather than foster the arbitrariness of a strongman setup (vis a vis DDS). I hope his daughter will transition to the former and be sucessful at it.
Hi Dr. Sponk Long- It's kind of funny, because Mayor Duterte has been quoted as telling the people of Davao that his daughter is so suplada, and he is surprised that the people elected her! Sara is half German, by the way. Whew, can you imagine inheriting Rody's attitude and throw in the German side too! She will be very strict! 😆
hope u have'nt gotten an invitation to the Mayors Ball via Helicopter Bob !!!!
Hi brian- 😆 Not yet!
Too bad he didn't stay in national politics! Men like him force change that is strongly needed in a very corrupt political society. People live by example as we say, so corruption has always played a part in Filipino society…unfortunatly. Hopefully men or women such as him could rise up and give a better political view without being scared of any whiplashes!
Hi Jason- One thing I can say for certain about Mayor Duterte – Fear plays no role in anything he does. Well, except in the reverse – the people he is up against are fearful of HIM! 😉
While I am not a great supporter of the DDS, I can understand why it was put into place. The courts are more corrupt and slow here than in the US. By circumventing them it saves the city alot of money. I saw a CNN report on the DDS on YouTube, they paint a worse picture than it really is. Their spin would have you beleive that people are being killed wholesale and this is just not true. Having never met the man I cannot say if I like him on a personal level, however I will say that I agree with most of his policies. Rody regularly rides his motorcycle (I beleive he owns a harley davidson) around Davao. One time he saw a guy sitting in a jeepney smoking a cigarette. He pulled over, walked up to the guy and slapped him all the while cursing him out in Bisaya. No he doesn't mince words.
Hi BrSpiritus- I have heard that Mayor Rody doesn't ride his motorcycle as much as he used to, due to health reasons. I can't say I've really met him in person either, although there have been several times that Feyma and I have been out for dinner at a local restaurant, and the Mayor and his party sat at the next table. I have always seen him at the same restaurant, it seems like he eats there a lot.
Hi Bob
I remember that Time Asia did an article on him about 6 years ago and also featured on BBC news. In the Time Asia article Mayor Duterte mentioned how a convicted rapist came to his office asking for assistance. He later said that this convicted rapist wont be asking anyone for assistance in the future, though he would not go into any more details (even though you can use your own judgement what he meant). I do approve of the DDS and his strong law and order stance. I think it has made Davao the safest city in the Philippines. I live in one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. and that has a huge impact on how people view this city and often times avoid this city, though it is a very beautiful city with some of the best weather in the country. You really have to avoid large areas where you might choose to live, makes finding an apartment a tough place to find. Duterte was very ill early this year or last year where his daughter took over as mayor while he had surgery. I know he often has a combative view to the U.S. especially pertaining to an American who had an explosive device which went off in the hotel and almost killed him and the U.S. removed him to get more advanced health care outside the country. I work in a pawnshop where we also display our forfeited items and as far as I know that Davao's pawnshops are the only ones displaying their items for sale to the public. That says they feel safe enough to sell their jewelry in this way. Im glad his daughter will continue his strong law and order stance.
Hi neil- I used to really support the DDS, then I was against it. Now, I would say I am somewhat ambivalent about it. The DDS is not as active as it once was, perhaps because it is not needed as much as it was at one time. I am happy that Davao is a very safe place these days.
Bob,
People can say what they want about Duterte but he has run an effective office for so long now.
I have mixed feelings about the DDS if it's used to quell crime…that's good but it also lends itself to more corruption and copycats.
As for what he said to the lady with 3 kids…I feel he's just saying that to get a political rise out of people. Possibly someone he's targeting politically. It's an old political tactic and he's been a master at it for years…right?
I'm sure Davao will miss him. I know I felt ultra safe when I was in Davao even at 2am walking the streets with my GF.
Maayong Buntag Bob
I had read that Davao has a good tough mayor even though I did not know much about him. Sounds like Duterte is the type of mayor needed in more cities in the RP and some cities in the states. I have always been amazed at the positive effects a good leader can have. To bad Duterte was not born in the US, we could ask him to run for President of the US.
Hi Don- I totally agree. Whatever his tactics, nobody could argue about his effectiveness. There is just no doubt about that.
Hi Larry- Good morning! There are quite a few people here who would like Duterte to run for President. I think he would be an effective President myself, and he'd be the first Mindanaoan President too!
In davao or in the philippines being effective as a mayor only means being a leader not a manager, after duterte came back from congress to being a mayor he had one agenda, clean up the city. I know this for a fact during the one term of his former city administrator turned mayor the city went downhill on the petty crimes department (e.g. daily cell phone snatching , pickpockets proliferated and small establishment break-ins), but as duterte promised he did clean up the city and then some by reading a warn list of drug traffickers, robbers and kidnappers and as we all know the DDS followed through or was it a curse list :-). The man backs his words and he has a practical way of dealing with things not like traditional politicians and he also really cares for the people of davao that is why the man is respected in the city, I think he has earned it.
Hi Nitbags- I am very much in agreement with everything you say. No doubt that Duterte backs up whatever he says!
hih bob,
i like duterte although i don't live in davao, i just heard and read stories about him, Philippines needs the like of him in able to restore peace in every city BUT with a moderation, I do approve the DDS on some level particularly if the same criminals cannot be stopped, but what BrSpiritus demonstrated about the guy who is just sitting and smoking in a jeepney and getting a slap from the mayor is way out of line. of course i don't know anything about the real story behind the slapping but it is still not right for a mayor to slap his constituent in public, if the guy commits a crime he could easily call his policemen and arrest him and lock him in the jail, but slapping him is humiliating and a clear violation of human rights and truly unprofessional specially for a mayor. can you imagine if one of your son is just chilling out and the mayor approaches him and slap him for no apparent reason? say like smoking a cigarrete?
He make davao a safer place to live by using fear, a death threat to anyone who might commits crime, there's a lot of ways to curtail crime in davao, they could use a longer jail sentence and expel the criminal from davao or threat them to use the DDS if they ever comes back..
as i said i like him to some level only.
Hi dans- You and I have very similar feelings. I like him overall, but am uneasy about some of the things that he says and does. There have been incidents where even on TV there have been beatings and such. I didn't witness it myself, but have been told of an incident on his TV show some time in the past where a taxi driver had treated a member of the public badly, and the Mayor summoned him to the TV show. While the TV show was ongoing, the Mayor supposedly brought the driver to a back room, and it is said that a beating took place. Like I say, I didn't see that show, so I can't say exactly what happened. What I do know is that the Mayor is certainly effective in what he does, there can be no doubt about that. There are probably better ways to accomplish some of the things he does, but if you think about it, so many politicians do nothing at all. At least Duterte does something to clean up the problems.
hi bob, although his way of cleaning up the city is effective, it is no way for me to respect the man, i don't believe that fear can make a person to respect anyone, the problem in the philippine politicians is their lack of public interaction, and duterte's interaction with the public through his tv program is brilliant, i give kudos to the man, the thing i hate with the philippine politician is during the campaign period they will go deeper into slums just to reach people for their vote and once they are seated they forgot everything. which duterte is far from it. (i just hope so).
the man is good running the city, the use of practical and effective way to solve a simple problem.
Hi Bob- Marilou and I are reading your blog post from Berlin where we are enjoying a 3 day holiday break courtesy of my former employer.
Well if Inday S D brings half the efficiency of Berling to Davao during her tenure then surely you will all have a great city to live in.
We are counting down the days till we join you in Mindanao.
Kind regards.
Jim & Marilou. (aus Deutchland)
Hi dans- Very true about politicians getting out into the masa to get votes, only to forget them after election day!
Hi Jim Cunningham- I hope that you two are enjoying your trip! We hope to see you soon!
Hi Bob. I'm shocked that most are leaning to the positive side of Duterte's demeanor in Davao's governance. Nobody is passionate enough to go against his style.
I remember very clearly that this kind of attitude was pervasive during the early Martial Law days of Marcos. Everybody was afraid to go against the guy as the country was in relative peace. Law and order was excellent. Slowly but surely though the country paid for it for society's moral decadence that was not apparent until it was too late. Democratic institutions were trampled to the ground.
I hope Davao will not go back to the future. There is a sense that the 'Istambays" in Obrero are running the city. There is a feeling in many quarters of an administration by thuggery in Rody's style.
There is just no way for a place to progress further if people have a sense of fear that they may be end up in the wrong side of City Hall. Where is the checks and balance if there is no candor and open debate… very essential attributes for a vibrant and progressive open society?
Then again…as the French said, the people deserve their leader.
Hi Bob,
Democracy in the Phil fashioned out of the US will not and cannot work. All checks and balances can be in place but the implementation is the problem. Systemic corruption and 'padrino system' are the main reasons for the laws and ordinances fail to deliver the general good to the public. What the Filipinos need at this juncture of Phil history is a 'benevolent dictatorship' like that of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew. This is what Mayor Duterte brings to the table in a city level – the current leader's personal conviction to serve the overall good of his constituency. And in Davao, it is the peace and order situation. It definitely has its problems but is more effective than the current democracy at the national level – just look at Macapagal-Arroyo's governance.
Hi Dr. Sponk Long- I have actually been kind of shocked by the reaction myself. In the past, whenever I wrote anything about Duterte there was always a deluge of comments, with more than half against his tactics. This time, it is nearly 100% supportive!
Hi Gerry- I have heard this "benevolent dictator" theory a number of times, from a number of people. I am not certain how I come down on it, though. I am a believer in Democracy, but I also concede that such a system might not be working properly in the Philippines. It is something to consider.
Please don't glamourize the mayor. "The end does not justify the means."
Everyone deserves a second chance much more if you are petty criminal and a minor.
You guys knows much better coming from the western world…this is not how democracy works..this not how rule of law works…in fact there is no rule of law in Davao when the tenant in the city hall is the the one abusing the law by being "THE JUDGE, THE JURY & THE EXECUTIONER"!!!!
I'm sure he'll get his, if not in this lifetime maybe next.
His actions only shows how incompetent he is. Why am I saying this? Because he cannot enforce the LAW against these small time mischiefs!!! Instead his minions would resort to murdering these people.
Rodrigo Duterte is an Alfredo Lim copycat…just worst!!! He is the "BUTCHER of DAVAO"
read on……..
http://www.pcij.org/stories/2002/davao.html
http://www.pcij.org/stories/2002/davao2.html
peace….
-ATONG ESTRADA-
Hi Atong Estrada- I don't think that I glamorized Mayor Duterte, I feel that I simply wrote the facts about the man.
Whether you agree or disagree with his tactics, I don't see how you can possibly say that he is incompetent. Perhaps we have different definitions of the word "incompetent" because I feel that he is one of the most competent men that I could think of. Maybe he uses tactics that I don't always agree with, but he gets the job done. That can't be doubted.
Yes, Bob, I agree with you. He's not only competent but also very efficient of cleaning the city of its useless youths. That's Davao city , very progressive and clean…No wonder shoeshine can be had for 12 pesos from a 14 year old girl or less. If you get my drift ….Thanks to the mayor…NOT
BTW, I enjoyed reading all the blogs here specially yours….props to you.
-Atong reading from Texas
Hi Atong Estrada- Thank you for your thoughts. One thing that I know for sure is that no two people agree all the time. If we all agreed on every issue, life would be a little boring. So, I agree that we'll just disagree on this issue (although only a bit, I think), and I'm glad that you enjoy the site, and especially enjoy reading my articles.
Take care!
Bob,
I think like me that the Mayor subscribes to the Pareto principle – the 80/20 rule. In this case it is more like the 99/1 rule, namely that 99% of crime in a city is carried out by the same 1% of the population.
The Mayor obviously understands that if you crack down heavily on the 1% voila crime is drastically reduced. Its a pity more politicians don't follow his lead.
I have no sympathy for serial violent offenders – here they are slapped on the wrist, put on bail or let out after a short sentence just to repeatedly reoffend.
We spend large amounts of taxpayers money coddling and "rehabilitating" hardcore and serial miscreants 99% of whom reoffend.
More power to the Mayor and those like him.
Hi Michael- 😆 I never thought of it in relation to the Pareto Principle! You're probably right about that.