We are your family too, Rotarians tell Duterte

by Chito A. Fuentes

We are your family too.

This was the message of Metro Manila Rotarians to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte Wednesday evening.

Duterte found his hands full fending off the appeals and pleas for him to run during the second regular meeting of four Rotary chapters Wednesday night at the SMS Convention Center of SM Aura in Taguig City.

1993 Photo of Mayor Dutere welcomed by his son Sebastian upon arrival from a successful mission to sign sister-city agreements with Bitung and Manado in North Sulawesi in Indonesia (Photo by Rene Lumawag)

Former Rep. Lorna Verano-Yap started the ball rolling when she took the microphone during the interaction portion.

Yap, who was a member of the 8th Congress and principal author of the Anti-Plunder Bill, said this was the first time she met Duterte.

What she said next triggered “oohs” and applause. 

“Akala ko, I always thought that the man who will break my heart has never been born. But two days ago, when you announced that you’re not going to run for president my heart, was broken to 10 million pieces,” Verano-Yap declared figuratively.

A confessed ladies man, Duterte said  he would “never have announced it without pondering for 24 hours.”

He reiterated the main reason he gave in his brief announcement that he was not running which is the opposition of his family. 

“When I am politically spent and I grow old, to whom do i go to, to you?” the mayor replied, partly in jest.

The mayor answered his own question.

“It will be my daughters and my son who will pay for my medicines,” he added.

Duterte said his daughter, former Davao Mayor Sara Duterte whom he wants to succeed him, warned him that he would die prematurely if he becomes president because of hypertension.

“In case you would die, you would not die in vain. I think you (would have died) because of love of country,” Ann Tangco countered.

Becky Singson, who said she just returned that day from Abu Dhabi, revealed that as of that day, “49,000 OFWs registered to vote because they wanted to vote Duterte for president!”.

“And when they found out na hindi na pala tatakbo, ayaw na mag register nung iba,” she lamented.

Duterte acknowledged that he his popular among OFWs and gave the reason why.

“They do not know me. Ang concern nila is all about security of their children…for the sake of their children,” he added.

Duterte insisted he is going around the country to advocate federalism which he said is the last card for peace in Mindanao.

“I never said in any forum at any time that i want to become president of this country,” the mayor declared emphatically.

That is true.

But it seems the number of people who would not take “no” for an answer has multiplied by leaps and bounds after the initial shock after his announcement.

Cavite Board Member Irene Bercito asked the most touching question for the evening.

Bercito, who said she is running for vice-governor because she is taking courage to change the situation said she wants Duterte to be “our leader for the next election”.

She asked Duterte if he would “just stand there” while “we are clamoring for change in this country” 

"Would you just watch us, having seen a multitude of people if they would go out in the streets, asking for you to do something and we are here, all these rotarians here, all those people who believe in you would you just watch?”, she pressed further.

Bercito said she believes there is a purpose for everything. Then she asked the most important question.

“Would you just sit down to and go back to your family, as you said, or consider that these Filipinos would be your family too?,” she asked, the applause that followed showed the approval of the rest. 

Chances are, Duterte will encounter the same question from a growing number of Filipinos in the coming days. (CHITO A. FUENTES)