What’s all the hoopla and preparations for the ASEAN? Aside from the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, does it matter that US President Donald Trump came to the Philippines? Was it supposed to be a big deal?
Considering the posture and rhetoric of Digong leaning towards China, the US paid attention to the strategic location of the Philippines.
When Trump was elected US president, Digong openly declared he can work with Trump.
True to form, Trump warmed up with Digong, who sang upon his request during the opening dinner gala of the ASEAN.
Trump has hailed his “great relationship” with Digong, whose flagship program is his relentless War on Drugs; briefly discussed human rights in the context of his war on drugs, Islamic State, trade and narcotics during the much-anticipated meeting at the sidelines of a summit of Asian leaders in Manila.
It cannot be helped to notice that Digong and Donald have the same wavelength, both have very colorful personalities and tend to say whatever’s on their minds without actually thinking first; but their backgrounds are miles apart: Trump is a businessman who has been on the hot seat as of late because of his alleged seemingly-never-ending attack on minorities while showing very little knowledge or appreciation of the complexities of politics. With no experience in the political arena, he instead plans to leverage his knowledge of business to turn America “great again”. He is known to contradict himself, carelessly, that TV networks have begun to “fact-check” his speeches in real time just to be able to discern what is real from what is fiction.
President Digong Duterte, on the other hand, is a lawyer, with years of prosecutorial experience, former mayor of Davao City for decades, hardly the political outsider his image makes him out to be.
His reputation and main asset, his image of the politician who was not embroiled in the usual corruption that mars Philippine politics, but he knows how to make politics work. He knows how to play the game, quite a brilliant tactician, elected by the widest majority of Filipino voters in history. He has always made it clear that his goal is to help those most in need.
Thus, these similar feelings in the Philippines — longing for change in their quality of life — are also felt in America, and are attributed as the reason why a Trump has somehow made it as far as he has.
Many Americans are not happy with the way America is now. Are Filipinos happy now with the way the Philippines is?
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
__________________________________
Author’s email: [email protected]