Honoring our fathers

‘‘President Rodrigo Duterte is the father of our country. As our Tatay, he makes sure that everything is well and taken care of.’’

Yesterday, we celebrated Fathers’ Day and this column is dedicated to all the fathers who want what is best for their children.

My father was very strict. He would always remind me of the repercussions that my actions would bear should I forget to carefully think about my decisions. His words helped me grow and succeed as a person. I would not be who I am today without his wisdom, support and guidance.

Now that I am a father myself, I will strive to follow his example. I will teach my children invaluable life lessons so that they can have a better future. I will inculcate in them the values of discipline, honesty and integrity so they may grow into responsible and conscientious adults.

President Rodrigo Duterte is the father of our country. As our Tatay, he makes sure that everything is well and taken care of. He does this not only because it is his job but also for the reason that it is in his nature as a person. He is genuinely concerned for the welfare of each and every Filipino.

In his first two years, President Rodrigo Duterte has done many positive things as the father of our country. He implemented stricter peace and order measures, causing crime rates in Metro Manila and other parts of the country to drop drastically. He initiated a crackdown against illegal drugs, resulting in thousands of drug personalities arrested, rehabilitated or neutralized, and billions of illegal drugs seized.

He established one-stop shops in various parts of the country to facilitate transactions for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW). He implemented the Build, Build, Build program to address our infrastructure backlog. He pushed for free tuition in state colleges and universities so that the youth, especially those who are poor, will have access to quality tertiary education. He made irrigation free for our farmers that is why the agriculture sector is now growing.

His campaign against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption aims to put the country back on its feet again. He knows that these social ills are plaguing our country and, just like a good father would, he wants to completely eliminate them. He is also striving to create an environment that is conducive for our people to grow, for business to succeed and for the economy to flourish. He envisions a Philippines where Filipinos can live without fear and have the opportunity to attain a better life.

Indeed, the entire country has a decisive, compassionate and effective Tatay in President Rodrigo Duterte. I hope that every Filipino appreciates what he is doing for all of us—even though at times he may seem harsh or strict. However, I know that he will lead the Philippines toward a better and brighter future.

Since I am the special assistant of our Tatay Digong, I guess that this makes me every Filipino’s Kuya. Rest assured that I will always be there to support our Tatay and help you as a responsible Kuya should. I pledge to do my best to be a good Kuya Bong Go to you all.

Blast from the Past: On June 18, 1908, the University of the Philippines (UP) was founded by virtue of Act. No. 1870 of the 1st Philippine Legislature to provide advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences and arts, and to administer professional and technical training to Filipinos. Since then, it has grown and advanced to become the leading tertiary academic institution in the Philippines and in Asia.

Throughout its 100 year history, the state university has produced outstanding graduates, many of whom became distinguished public servants, successful businessmen, prolific artists, prominent community leaders and trailblazers in their respective fields. In my two decades in government service, I have had the pleasure of working and interacting with many UP alumni and I believe the country is better off because of them. It is my hope that more and more of the country’s UP graduates would join us in government to serve the Filipino people.

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