For President Duterte, life is full of surprises.
The former Davao City mayor rose to become the president in 2016 even though he was once considered the person least likely to succeed.
Duterte walked down memory lane during a recent event in Las Piñas City, recalling his personal struggles including becoming a “stowaway” when he was young.
“Gusto ko rin share Sir Manny na ako ‘yung the least expected to succeed. I finished high school seven years. I just went around, went to Cebu at an early age, nag-stowaway,” he said during the birth anniversary celebration of former Senate President Manny Villar last Thursday.
“Life is really very strange. I can really now say the presidency is a gift from God,” he said.
Duterte eventually earned a law degree, served as public prosecutor, became mayor of Davao City, and then won a landslide victory in the 2016 presidential elections. The anti-establishment politician centered his campaign on fighting illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption.
“Just like Manny, we don’t proclaim that we are the most honest, we have our faults, plenty of faults. I won the mayorship in 1988, stayed there for 23 years and then went on to become (the president),” Duterte said. “I never lost an election. Ganoon ka weird ang buhay,” he added.
Duterte remembered that his family endured hardship in Cebu and migrated to Davao “seeking greener pasture.” He said “success” came to the family when his father Vicente served as governor of Davao.
“Wala kami sa negosyo My mother was a teacher, my father was lawyer. By stroke of faith, he became the governor of Davao for many years,” he added.
Fast forward to the present, Duterte is now halfway through his six-year term. He said while he only earned a passing grade of 75 in school, he also leads a Cabinet filled with bright men and women mostly valedictorians.
“As I said, life is full of surprises,” Duterte said. (Genalyn Kabiling)
