PRRD ERA ENDS
By Caloy Bueno
The Duterte administration is finally coming to an end. And while the Filipino people probably cannot fully express enough their gratitude and appreciation for this "promdi political nobody" ~ who in 2016 just up and conquered the Filipinos' imagination and won overwhelming support for the national election that year ~ nonetheless he did give us a government that proved to be the nation's salvation from its long and excruciating spiral into perdition . . .
Maraming salamat po, mahal na Pangulong Duterte, para sa inyong katangi-tanging paglilingkod sa bayan, na naging isang malaking katanyagan at tagumpay ng buong bansang Pilipino!
As you retire (finally?) from public service, you can rest assured that the whole Filipino nation's never-ending gratitude and remembrance will accompany and honor you for the rest of your remarkable life. You are held in the highest esteem and place of honor in Filipino hearts and minds for what you have done for our beloved country, the Philippines . . .
Not only did you save the country and our people from completely going under from incompetence and corruption in government, from becoming a drug-crazed hell-hole and an unbearably intolerable burden for the Filipino people, but you also enabled (maybe without even intending it) our national awareness to come to grips with the real importance of our contemporary history's truths and lessons ~ which enabled our people to look at and evaluate our past with greater understanding, a better grasp ~ and the sovereign and very patriotic motivation to make it right . . .
And that's why Filipinos in the 2022 election decided that the best way to carry on what you started, is to pass on your awesome duty and responsibilities to one who had been so utterly maligned and despised (ever since their whole family first went into exile, but subsequently were able to come back to rebuild their name and political reputation) ~ it's because you, Mr. Duterte, showed the people that the way forward with full honor and greater progress for the Philippines can only come from real excellence ~ in terms of governance (truly beneficial public service); in political will (from the uncompromising rule of law); and, finally, in terms of giving back Filipinos their dignity, pride, and true happiness . . .
This national crossroad that we are now coming into, Mr. President, where you go one way (into the sunset) and a new Marcos administration takes over and going another, brings to mind a poignant quotation from a popular streaming TV science fiction series, which goes ~ "There are moments in our lives we fear to relive. And others we long to repeat. While time cannot give us second chances ~ maybe people can!" (from "Star Trek Picard" Season 2, Episode 10)
President Duterte, you are The Man. The one that our historical development through time had in store for the long-suffering Filipino people ~ to give them a second chance ~ at self-redemption; for self-deliverance; for self-realization toward a better future for our country. All our travails and troubles before you heroically came to our rescue now seem to be worth it ~ for the golden chance at awakening to a new dawn of conviction for our people to more fully come to grips with our own national destiny, and commitment needed to go forward together with more confidence and greater capabilities and (hopefully really) effective cooperation ~ to build strongly in unity upon your outstanding success and achievements, Mr. President . . .
Daghan kaayong salamat, Manong Digong!
#PagMayTime 👊🇵🇭✌️
