By: Genalyn D. Kabiling and Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
A year after becoming the country’s highest government official, President Duterte said it has been so far a “rollercoaster” ride in leading the country.
The President has viewed his first year in office as a journey of high and lows even as he left to the public to make a “fair” assessment of his leadership at the end of his term.
“It’s a roller coaster actually. While you are there, it’s a roller coaster,” Duterte said in an interview with reporters after accepting China’s military equipment donation in Clark, Pampanga last Wednesday.
The President, however, declined to assess his performance in the past year and instead asked the public to review his term later on.
“I do not make any assessment. I only make assessment after my term,” said the President who currently leads government efforts in quelling a rebellion by Islamic militants in Marawi City.
“So, it should be at the end of the ride that will – If I get to live, then I’ll tell you. If I don’t exist anymore by that time, you make your own assessment. Just be fair,” he added.
The President earlier said he might visit war-torn Marawi today to mark his first year in office. Duterte said it was too late in the day to hesitate to go to Marawi, adding Vice President Leni Robredo is on standby in case something bad happens to him.
Malacañang said Duterte wishes to spend his first anniversary as Chief Executive in Marawi to show support to the people affected by the ongoing armed conflict.
“The President wished to be in Marawi but, of course, that is tentative,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag said.
“The President wished to make the people of Marawi feel that we are behind them, the government is behind them, and the President has never left Marawi,” she added.
According to Banaag, there are no programs or events yet slated to commemorate Duterte’s first year in office today.
