Supporters show unwavering support for Duterte

MANILA, Philippines — Some supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte in Cebu and some parts of the Visayas braved the rains yesterday afternoon to rally for support for the controversial leader.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco who attended “Kilusang Pagbabago's Lihok Suporta 2” urged the public to “be patient and continue to participate in governance.”

"Imbis magsigi ta og tagawtaw, nganong dili na man lang gyud ta mo-support? Walay lain gusto ang atong presidente kun dili kalinaw sa atong nasud ug sa atong tagsa-tagsa ka kumunidad," Evasco said.

Estimates on the number of attendees at the Plaza Independencia differed by large numbers. Police estimated the crowd at 1,000 but organizers claimed attendees reached 10,000.

Atty. Rex Fernandez of Kilusang Pagbabago Cebu even said there could have been more than 10,000 had the supporters from Quiot, Pardo not ran home when a fire broke out in their village.

"Still, our marshals reported a turnout of 10,000 warm bodies,” he said.

Fernandez said images of the crowd at the height of the downpour contradict the “grossly inaccurate” police estimate of only 1,000.

Among those who joined the rally were delegates from Region 6 - Panay, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Region 8 - Tacloban, Hilongos, Northern Samar and Region 7 - Bohol, Guihulngan, and Amlan in Negros Oriental.

Doris Mongaya, KP’s lead convenor in the Visayas, said the rally was meant to show the country that support for the president has not mellowed.

"Ania kita karon alang sa pagpakita sa tibuok nasud sa atong padayong pagsuporta kang Presidente Duterte. Dunay moingon nga naluya na kuno ang suporta sa katawhan alang kang Pangulong Digong. Kining atong pag-anhi karon sa atong Lihok Suporta nagpasabot nga dakong sayop sila. Ania kita karon, matag usa kanato, nagpakita sa atong padayon ug way paglubad nga suporta," Mongaya said.

Organizers said there are obstacles to the changes Duterte wants to put in place but these should not be reasons for the public to lose trust and confidence in the president.

"Dakung babag karon sa war on drugs kining mga scalawag sa kapulisan. Dakong babag kining mga opisyal nga kurakot. Kini sila atong ginganlan og mga kaaway sa kausaban. Mga obstacles to change. Alang kanako, dakong buhi ang paglaum ug atong pagtuo nga mabuntog nato kining maong mga babag ug makab-ot kining tinuod nga kausaban tungod niining paghupot sa administrasyon ni Presidente Duterte sa participatory governance," Mongaya said in her speech.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña was present at the event but did not deliver any speech. He simply waved and smiled at the attendees.

Project

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR-7) awarded to local fisherfolk a fishery project worth more than P800,000 during the rally.

Edgardo Delfin, head of BFAR-7’s Provincial Fisheries Office (PFO) in Cebu, said the beneficiaries are fisherfolk grassroots members Kilusang Pagbabago.

He said the project involves the distribution of fishing equipment that includes 20 units of fiberglass boats with engine; 10 units of pumpboat engines; and 10 sets of drift gillnets.

In total, the fishing equipment is valued at P820,000.

Delfin and BFAR-7 Director, Dr. Allan Poquita, graced the ceremonial turnover yesterday afternoon at Plaza Independencia.

Delfin said the project is under the government’s “Pagbabago Program” that will benefit around 70 fishermen.

“Ang Kilusang Pagbabago is under the office of the Cabinet secretary. They organize members they call KP. These members are the recipients of this livelihood project that they asked from BFAR-7,” he said.

He said the newly-created Office of Participatory Governance under the executive body will receive the project material that would likewise identify their KP members to receive the equipment.

He said parties have agreed that members should be registered fisherfolk.

“They also have to see to it that there is an acknowledgement receipt of the recipients so that there will be easy monitoring,” he added. — /JMO (FREEMAN)