tell it to sunstar: Leadership style



In the 2016 presidential election, the Filipino people no longer felt sympathetic to traditionalist politicians, the likes of those that came after the despot Marcos, to lead the country as they saw in each of them that the country was not going anywhere with their brand of leadership.

Thus, when a strong-willed, uncouth and invective-spewing candidate from Mindanao in the person of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte, decided to run for President at the last minute, people went agog not only because he was strongly perceived as an unorthodox politician that could make a difference, but more so because of how he became a legend in his iron-fisted, crime-busting, tough-talking and action-oriented governance when he transformed lawless Davao City into a safe, progressive and livable place that became the envy of other cities in Luzon and the Visayas regions.

Duterte’s brand of leadership resonated so well with the people that he won the presidency with an overwhelming majority and, to this day, has been able to sustain his popularity despite the series of controversial issues that have been used as a battering ram against him and his administration.

What Duterte promised to do during his campaign about drugs, corruption and criminality was being fulfilled at the start of his term, but these social plagues have been discovered to be well entrenched in Philippine society so that three years into his presidency, Duterte is still pursuing his bloody war against the most dangerous scourge of all—drugs.

What stands out, however, as an undeniable achievement of the Duterte administration, even as he continues his relentless war against drugs, is his exercise of political will in embarking on his Build, Build, Build program. It is a plan which envisions the ushering in of the “Golden Age of Infrastructure,” the goal of which is to reduce poverty, encourage economic growth and reduce congestion in Metro Manila. This is happening now. Suffice it to say, before Duterte’s presidency is over, the Filipino people and the rest of the world will be witness to a transformation in MM that only could have been made possible under a maverick President like Duterte.

But what I am really trying to point out here and question at the same time is what will happen after the Duterte presidency is over? Shall we be looking for another iron-fisted, foul-mouthed and out-of-the-box presidential candidate to continue Duterte’s leadership style to sustain the growth and progress that the nation is thankfully undergoing at last? Well, not really. Duterte’s elevation to the presidency came at a time when nobody else among his rivals showed promise of being a non-traditional leader.

But then there is now Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, who has been the talk of the country, brandishing another admirable leadership style that is less controversial, less divisive and more refined compared to Duterte’s, yet equally forceful, determined and effective for the good of country and people that could serve as a remedy to our leadership woes.

What a promising alternative!

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