“President Duterte could be the Philippines greatest president if he indeed asserts national sovereignty and territorial integrity in tandem with economic and social reforms the communist movement has demanded over the past 50 years.” (Delfin T. Mallari, Jr. and Laika B. Salaverria,” Rody can be greatest President yet Joma”, Philippine Daily Inquirer, February, 2020).
-oOo-
Noted writer Renms Wailey opined: “The Seeds of Greatness are not dependent upon the gifted birth, the inherited bank account, the intellect, the skin-deep beauty, the race, the color or the status. The Seeds of Greatness are attitudes and beliefs that begin in children as baby talk, as do’s and don’ts as casual family chatter, bed time stories, locket-room gossip-as offhanded, almost unnoticed, delicately transparent ideas, like flimsy cobwebs, at first then, with years of practice, become the unbreakable steel cables to shack or strengthen our characters throughout the rest of our adult lives.”
“Greatness should be understood in terms of Greek tragedy: We are not speaking of perfect beings, or the “best President in the solar system” but instead restless mortals who dedicate their lives to pursuing a cause bigger than themselves, no matter the sacrifices it entails,” according to Richard Heydarian.
Greatness should be understood in terms of Greek tragedy: We are not speaking of perfect beings, or the “best President in the solar system,” but instead restless mortals who dedicate their lives to pursuing a cause bigger than themselves, no matter the sacrifices it entails”, according to Richard Heydarian.
Great, per Webster, means “much more than ordinary; above average; superior or showing nobility of mind or purpose”. It had been said also that “Nothing is great unless good.”
According to Shakespeare, “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Greatness here refers to the second category and that of achieving greatness. Greatness through pursuit of a noble cause with great risks. This opportunity for greatness seldom present itself to an individual or institution. Thus, you should always be ready like a boyscout, so that once this opportunity knocks at your door, you are prepared to welcome and grab it.
Surely President Duterte will not be our worst President ever since. However, we fully agree that President Duterte has the potential of being our greatest President after his term ended. “Joma” or Jose Maria Sison who, per info, was one of President Duterte’s “favorite” professors at the Lyceum University in Manila, is the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). As expected, Joma was happy with our “country’s announced withdrawal from its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States”. Mallari and Salaverria, further wrote: “Joma stressed that ending the military pacts with the United State must be complemented by national industrialization and genuine land reform to ensure the Filipino people and their revolutionary movement.”
Surprisingly, Joma was reported to be hoping that President Duterte, also assert the same against Chinese imperialists, “meaning China’s aggressive extraterritorial claims of some of our exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.”
Statement was endorsed by a long list of individuals from several sectors of our society namely: 1) Religious, 2) Legislators and Government Officials, 3) Peace Advocates, 4) Lawyers, 5) Academe, 6) Artists/Cultural workers, 7) People’s Organization and NGO’s, and 8) Concerned Citizens. The Statement is for “a peaceful resolution of the armed conflict between the Government the Republic of the Philippines (GRP0 and the National Democratic Front (NDF)” and for both Parties “to resume the stalled peace talks soon and “go back to the negotiating table to finish what they started.”
Undoubtedly, with the peaceful resolution of this longest insurgency in the whole world, plus that of the Moro rebellion, such awning legacy can make President Duterte our greatest President ever. I would even venture to say that President Duterte may even win the Nobel Prize for Peace for such laudable accomplishment. Hence, we Filipino, should hope and pray that justice and peace come to our divided troubled land during this administration.
Another route for President Duterte to greatness is what I wrote in my previous article titled “Opportunity For Greatness”. Said article reads:
“Another opportunity for greatness is presenting itself to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to be a real transformative President and pursue another noble cause bigger than himself and with greater risks. This is the big challenge of undertaking an honest-to-goodness Constitutional Reform to transform our country by the adoption of truly inclusive political and economic systems in the Philippines that will truly liberate our people from the clutches of Filipino imperialists and save our country from being broken up by the secession of Mindanao. Electoral and judicial reforms may likewise be introduced for the common good. “Current members of Congress are either obstacles to real change or seeking change to further promote their own selfish interests. Constitutional convention wherein delegates will be elected will surely be dominated by candidates supported by Filipino imperialists and irresponsible dynastic families. Influence by heavy lobby money, Con-Con delegates could delay the charter revision process beyond the term of President Duterte. Thus, to resort then to Constituent Assembly or Constitutional Convention for an honest-to goodness Constitutional Reform will be an exercise in futility to say the least.
“On the other hand, the terrible consequences of a “NO Real Constitutional Reform” during the Duterte administrations cannot be over-emphasized. Obviously, only President Duterte with his high trust rating, political will and “tapang at malasakit” spirit can undertake an honest-to-goodness Constitutional Reform that embodies the ideals and aspirations of our people for unity in diversity, Full Democracy, humane and just society, sustainable prosperity and lasting peace.”
The mode is through People Mandated Constitutional Reform. In a Republican and Democratic Nation, remember that sovereignty resides in the people.” The voice of the people is the voice of God. This is another opportunity for greatness that knocks at Malacanang door nowadays.
No Risk, No Glory
