Palmes-Dennis: Time to choose who can fix PH best

IT IS THE best of times and it is perhaps the most crucial time for Filipinos as far as charting their own national destiny is concerned.

Next Monday, May 9, Juan dela Cruz and Juana dela Cruz will troop to the polling precincts to cast their votes on the next president, vice president, lawmakers, mayors and governors and other local officials.

On that one day, they will be in the minds of every candidate. On that one day, they will feel important and I don't blame them. I am proud of the voter's power and I hope that every Filipino won't misuse and squander that power that they hold in their hands.

Don't let election operators steal or buy that power from you with money. At least for that one day you are powerful. When these officials get elected, the Filipino is forgotten anew until the next three years.

I've been talking to myself and asking who I will vote for if I were physically present in the country of my birth. And how I will persuade those I know whom to vote for, those who are still undecided.

For president, I've made up my mind and will support Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Even before he filed his candidacy, I knew he was running. I won't discuss the legal or moral issues raised against him, I don't have time for that.

I can only outline what I wish Duterte would do if he gets elected as president. There is a lot to fix in the government system: land registration and the Torrens system, national health insurance for all, criminality, drugs, unemployment, education and practically the whole bureaucracy.

C’mon guys, if government is a person, it is not only sick it is critically ill. It requires surgery in the gut. The nation's heart needs to be over-hauled too to see if it still functions.

Only a candidate like Duterte can perform the surgery. Truly I believe Duterte can do it. I hope Duterte can fix PhilHealth so it can help patients pay their bills, to provide universal health care so to speak.

Until now I couldn't answer why the expensive medicines that doctors prescribed are unavailable most of the time and a patient is required to buy it.

Next is the land titling—oh this too is a milking cow. Land titles are issued like hot cakes notwithstanding that there were existing titles issued even 50 years ago. Titles that used to serve as evidence to prevent landgrabbing are devalued.

I have not met Mayor Duterte in person but when a Cebu Pacific plane crashed in Claveria town, Misamis Oriental in 1998, Duterte was among those who hiked with the medical and military personnel to the crash site.

He was helping in the search and rescue operation and I interviewed him on radio when I was still working that time with RMN dxCC. The interview lasted for hours and he talked as if he knew me or we have known each other for a long time.

I remembered asking him if there are casualties from Davao. I could not remember the exact words though, what I can recall at best is that he said” I want to help in the rescue operation.”

That was 16 years ago and I don't know if Duterte was planning to run for president at the time but I still believe helping is part of Duterte's character.

But just as he had his supporters, I cannot recall at any point in the country's history when someone had drawn so much flak and toxic comments as Duterte.

In the eyes of critics, he is a loudmouth who held positions antithetical to the establishment. In fact even those in the media who believe they can influence public opinion hate Duterte because they think his mouth is toxic.

I still believe that we need someone who is rough and tough. Duterte is not a perfect leader and he has his flaws and failings but he is the only one who understands what is to be poor and what it feels to have nothing.

Before I forget I am not scared by speculations that Duterte would declare martial law. No, he won't do that with Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and his son Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III of PDP-Laban backing him.

The elder Pimentel especially who had been a victim of martial law while he was Cagayan de Oro city mayor. He won’t declare martial law or even think about tinkering with the constitution.

In Cagayan de Oro, my mayor of choice is Oscar Moreno. I base this on the premise that we should allow the incumbent to finish the work and projects they have started. Let Moreno finish two terms of three years each.

Three years is not enough to get projects done. Moreno is performing well in the city. Schools sprouting like mushrooms and roads built or expanded even in the far-flung barangays.

Never in the history of this city has this happened. The City Hospital is comparable to other government hospitals in the country. I don’t have to enumerate the projects and the goodwill earned by the city.

Kagayanons are in a better position to say what they experienced the last three years. While Moreno may be facing a graft case, it is common belief that people are innocent until proven guilty in court and accusers have the burden of proof.

I am not saying that Congressman Rufus Rodriguez is not a good mayor but the TIMING is not with him. This is not his time to become the mayor of the city. I still want him to be a senator.

Mayor Vicente “Donkoy” Emano has lost his magic and his political shell life has expired. I am just sorry that during his heydays I was never given a chance to follow him. I was a critic not of his person but of his policy.

I trust lawyer Oscar Musni who is running under Emano's ticket that the great Donkoy wants to build a legacy to his name. I trust that he is sincere but as I said his time is done.

The legacy he wants to leave behind can be done by his children in due time. As to my choice of City Council candidates, I want it to be a rainbow council to make it merry and fun to watch.

I can say that there are a number of talented and ready candidates willing to serve the council and make meaningful legislation. But I want a rainbow council that would work with the executive and not be a hindrance to executive agenda.

In the meantime let the dreams of national heroes like Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Jose Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo and all those who died for the country help the voters choose the best candidates.

And as the elections draw near, the candidate’s ideas and record are certainly worth noting—but perhaps more important is their ability to listen to the voiceless. These qualities can be found in Duterte and Moreno.

Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who worked as teacher assistant in one of the school systems in the Carolinas.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph