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=                          Rodrigo Duterte                           =
======================================================================

                             Introduction                             
======================================================================
Rodrigo Roa Duterte  (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong,
Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and
politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from
2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino
(formerly PDP-Laban), the ruling political party in the Philippines
during his presidency. Duterte is the first president of the
Philippines to be from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assume
office, beginning his term at age 71.

Born in Maasin, Leyte (now in Southern Leyte), Duterte moved to Davao
as a child where his father, Vicente Duterte, served as provincial
governor. He studied political science at the Lyceum of the
Philippines University, graduating in 1968, before obtaining a law
degree from San Beda College of Law in 1972. He then worked as a
lawyer and was a prosecutor for Davao City, before becoming vice mayor
and, subsequently, mayor of the city in the wake of the 1986 People
Power Revolution. Duterte won seven terms and served as mayor of Davao
for over 22 years, during which the once crime-ridden city became
peaceful and investor-friendly.

Duterte's 2016 presidential campaign led to his election victory.
During his presidency, his domestic policy focused on combating the
illegal drug trade by initiating the controversial war on drugs,
fighting crime and corruption, and intensified efforts against
terrorism and communist insurgency. He launched a massive
infrastructure plan, initiated liberal economic reforms, streamlined
government processes, and proposed a shift to a federal system of
government which was ultimately unsuccessful. He also oversaw the
controversial burial of Ferdinand Marcos, the 2017 Battle of Marawi,
and the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He declared
the intention to pursue an "independent foreign policy", and
strengthened relations with China and Russia. He initially announced
his candidacy for vice president in the 2022 election; in October
2021, he said he was retiring from politics. The next month, he filed
his candidacy for senator but withdrew it on December 14.

Duterte's political positions have been described as populist, as well
as nationalist. His political success has been aided by his vocal
support for the extrajudicial killing of drug users and other
criminals. His career has sparked numerous protests and attracted
controversy, particularly over human rights issues and his
controversial comments. Duterte has repeatedly confirmed to have
personally killed criminal suspects during his term as mayor of Davao.
Extrajudicial killings that were allegedly committed by the Davao
Death Squad between 1998 and 2016 during Duterte's mayoralty have also
been scrutinized by human-rights groups and the Office of the
Ombudsman. The victims were mainly alleged drug users, alleged petty
criminals, and street children. The International Criminal Court
opened a preliminary investigation into Duterte's drug war in 2018,
prompting Duterte to withdraw the Philippines from the body in
response. He is the only president in the history of the Philippines
not to declare his assets and liabilities. Duterte's popularity and
domestic approval rating remained relatively high throughout his
presidency and by the end of his term, he was the most popular
post-EDSA (1986 People Power Revolution) president.


                              Early life                              
======================================================================
Rodrigo Roa Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Maasin, Southern
Leyte. His father was Vicente Gonzales Duterte (1911-1968), a Cebuano
lawyer, and his mother, Soledad Gonzales Roa (1916-2012), was a
schoolteacher from Cabadbaran, Agusan and a civic leader of Maranao
descent. Duterte has said that his grandfather was Chinese and hailed
from Xiamen in Fujian, China. Duterte has four siblings: Eleanor,
Jocelyn, Emmanuel and Benjamin.

Duterte's father was mayor of Danao, Cebu, and subsequently the
provincial governor of (the then-undivided) Davao province. Rodrigo's
cousin Ronald was mayor of Cebu City from 1983 to 1986. Ronald's
father, Ramon Duterte, also held that position from 1957 to 1959. The
Dutertes consider the Cebu-based political families of the Durano and
the Almendras clan as relatives. Duterte also has relatives from the
Roa clan in Leyte through his mother's side. Duterte's family lived in
Maasin, and in his father's hometown in Danao, until he was four years
old. Duterte was heavily influenced by his mother, who unlike Vicente
was a staunch anti-Marcos activist, which led the young Duterte to
have a divided opinion on the Marcoses. Duterte later said Marcos
could have been the best president, but unfortunately he was a
dictator. The Dutertes initially moved to Mindanao in 1948 but still
went back and forth to the Visayas until 1949. They finally settled in
the Davao Region in 1950. Vicente worked as a lawyer engaged in
private practice. Soledad worked as a teacher until 1952, when Vicente
entered politics.


 Education and early law career 
================================
Duterte went to Laboon Elementary School in Maasin for a year. He
spent his remaining elementary days at Santa Ana Elementary School in
Davao City, where he completed his primary education in 1956. He
finished his secondary education in the High School Department of Holy
Cross College of Digos (now Cor Jesu College) in Digos, Davao
province, after being expelled twice from previous schools, including
one in the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) High School due to
misconduct. He graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in
political science at the Lyceum of the Philippines in Manila.

He obtained a law degree from San Beda College of Law in 1972. In the
same year, he passed the bar exam. Duterte eventually became a special
counsel at the City Prosecution Office in Davao City from 1977 to
1979, fourth assistant city prosecutor from 1979 to 1981, third
assistant city prosecutor from 1981 to 1983, and second assistant city
prosecutor from 1983 to 1986.


 Sexual abuse claims 
=====================
Duterte has claimed he was sexually abused by a priest when he was a
minor. After he was challenged by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP) and AdDU officials to name the priest and file
a case against him, Duterte then revealed the priest's name as Mark
Falvey (d. 1975). The Jesuits of the Society of Jesus in the
Philippines confirmed that according to press reports in the United
States, in May 2007, the Society of Jesus agreed to a tentative payout
of  to settle claims that Falvey sexually abused at least nine
children in Los Angeles from 1959 to 1975. Accusations against Falvey
began in 2002 but he was never charged with a crime. In May 2008, the
Diocese of Sacramento paid a $100,000-settlement to a person allegedly
raped and molested by Mark's brother, Arthur Falvey. However, it was
not clearly indicated in the report if Mark Falvey was assigned at the
Jesuit-run Ateneo de Davao.

When asked why he did not complain when the abuse supposedly happened,
Duterte claimed that he was too young to complain about the priest's
abuse and was intimidated by authorities at that time. He also stated
that he never disclosed that information after he was expelled and
moved to a different high school and especially not to his family.


 Shooting of student at law school 
===================================
Duterte stated at a rally in April 2016 that he shot a fellow student
who had bullied him about his Visayan origin as well as other students
of the same ethnicity, while at San Beda law college. He said, "But
the truth is, I'm used to shooting people. When we were about to
graduate from San Beda, I shot a person." Duterte said that he shot
the student in a corridor at the college when the said student called
him names again. He later told a reporter that the student survived,
but refused to answer any further questions about the incident.

However, in an interview aired on '24 Oras' and published on the
official GMA News Online website on April 22, 2016, retired labor
arbiter Arthur Amansec said Duterte and Octavio Goco at that time were
both playing with a gun as it was normal for students to bring guns to
school in the seventies. Amansec is Duterte's former classmate in San
Beda College who witnessed the incident. He added that "the bullet hit
the school's wooden floor and was embedded there." Amansec emphasized
that Duterte and Goco remained friends until Goco died in the United
States years later.


                         Mayor of Davao City                          
======================================================================
After the 1986 People Power Revolution that toppled the regime of
President Ferdinand Marcos, Duterte was appointed officer-in-charge
vice mayor by President Corazon Aquino. In 1988, he ran for mayor
under the Lakas ng Dabaw banner and won, serving until 1998. He set a
precedent by designating deputy mayors to represent the administrative
districts, as well as the Lumad and Moro peoples in the city
government. This was later copied by other cities in other parts of
the Philippines.

In December 1990, Duterte joined the Nacionalista Party upon the
persuasion of Senator Juan Ponce Enrile. In 1998, because he was
term-limited to run again for mayor, he ran for the House of
Representatives and won as congressman of the 1st district of Davao
City (under the Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino coalition). In
2001, he ran again for mayor of Davao and was elected for a fourth
term. He was re-elected in 2004 and in 2007.

In 1995, after Flor Contemplacion, a Filipina, was executed in
Singapore after confessing to a double murder, Duterte allegedly
burned a flag of Singapore (though this claim was later denied) and
joined 1,000 employees of Davao City in protest.

In 2010, he was elected vice mayor, succeeding his daughter, Sara
Duterte-Carpio, who was elected as mayor.

In 2013, Davao City sent rescue and medical teams to Tacloban to give
aid to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan (locally known in the country as
Typhoon Yolanda). Financial assistance was also given to Bohol and
Cebu for earthquake victims.

Duterte also passed Davao City's Women Development Code, which aims
"to uphold the rights of women and the belief in their worth and
dignity as human beings". Duterte banned swimsuit competitions in
beauty pageants in Davao City. He gained prominence for supporting the
first-ever Gawad Kalinga Village inside a jail facility in Davao City.
It is a home-type jail with ten cottages built inside the compound,
which now serve as homes for female inmates.


 Law and order 
===============
During Duterte's tenure as mayor, Davao City experienced economic boom
and a significant decrease in crime from being a conflict-ridden area
between communists and right-wing groups during the 1970s and 80s, and
is constantly rated as among the safest in the country. The city also
ranks high in the world according to crowdsourced survey site Numbeo,
a narrative that gained currency in the national media, creating a
widespread public perception that has been a significant factor in
establishing support for his nationwide drug policy. The city was also
awarded "Most Child-Friendly City for Highly-Urbanized Category" in
1998, 1999, 2013 and 2014.

Under Duterte's watch, the city council imposed a prohibition on
selling, serving, drinking, and consuming alcoholic beverages from
01:00 until 08:00 each morning. Duterte signed Executive Order No. 39,
reducing the speed limits for all kinds of motor vehicles within the
territorial jurisdiction of Davao City in the interest of public
safety and order. Duterte also signed Executive Order No. 04 creating
the implementing of rules and regulations for a new comprehensive
anti-smoking ordinance. A firecracker ban was also implemented by the
City Council through the support of Duterte. Davao acquired 10
ambulances for central 911 intended for medical emergencies and 42
mobile patrol vehicles and motorcycles for the Davao City Police
Office. Duterte, through Executive Order No. 24, ordered all shopping
malls and commercial centers to install, operate and maintain high end
and high definition closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at all
entrance and exit points of their premises.

In early September 2015, an incident was reported of a tourist being
forced to swallow his own cigarette butt in a local bar in Davao City
after the tourist refused to comply with the public anti-smoking
ordinance of the city. Duterte was contacted by the bar owner and the
then-mayor personally went into the bar and forced the tourist to
swallow his cigarette butt. Duterte was then met with criticisms
especially from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).


 Alleged involvement with Davao Death Squad 
============================================
Duterte has been linked by human rights groups such as Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch to extrajudicial killings of over
1,400 alleged criminals and street children by vigilante death squads.
In the April 2009 UN General Assembly of the Human Rights Council, the
UN report (Eleventh Session Agenda item 3, par 21) said, "The Mayor of
Davao City has done nothing to prevent these killings, and his public
comments suggest that he is, in fact, supportive." Duterte stressed
that the concept of human rights for criminals is Western and should
not apply to the Philippines.



Duterte has denied responsibility for the extrajudicial killings. He
has also frequently announced his support for them. In 2015, Duterte
confirmed his links to extrajudicial killings in Davao, and warned
that, if elected president, he may kill up to 100,000 criminals; he
challenged human rights officials to file a case against him if they
could provide evidence of his links with vigilante groups. In October
2023, Duterte admitted on his talk show program 'Gikan sa Masa, para
sa Masa' to using intelligence funds to finance the extrajudicial
killings done during his time as mayor.


 Federalism advocacy 
=====================
In September 2014, Duterte and former mayors and governors, calling
themselves the Mindanao Council of Leaders, advocated for a federalist
government. A month later, Duterte attended an event sponsored by the
Federal Movement for a Better Philippines in Cebu City.

In December 2014, Duterte held a summit entitled "Mindanaons Forging
Unity Toward a Federal System of Government".


                      2016 presidential campaign                      
======================================================================
As early as the first quarter of 2015, Duterte made hints to the media
of his intention to run for president in the 2016 elections. However,
he denied these plans numerous times amidst clamor from his supporters
for him to run.

In January, Duterte said he would abolish Congress if he were elected
president. On November 21, in a private gathering with fraternity
brothers from San Beda College of Law, Duterte formally announced his
presidential bid and also finally accepted Alan Peter Cayetano's offer
to be his running mate, and named his daughter, Sara Duterte, as his
substitute for Mayor. Duterte said he would introduce a federal
parliamentary form of government.

During his campaign, Duterte made controversial remarks, including
promising to kill tens of thousands of criminals and eradicate crime
in six months. He also said his presidency would be "a bloody one",
and that he would pardon himself, the police, and soldiers accused of
human rights abuses at the end of his six-year term. Duterte also
apologized after saying out of anger when recalling the events that he
"should have been first" to rape Jacqueline Hamill, an Australian
missionary who was gang-raped and killed during the 1989 Davao hostage
crisis. After the United States' and Australia's ambassadors to the
Philippines criticized him for the rape comments, Duterte threatened
to sever diplomatic ties with the countries if elected.


 Constitutional reform 
=======================
Duterte campaigned for decentralization and a shift to a federal
government during the 2016 presidential election. In an October 2014
forum organized by 'Federal Movement for a Better Philippines' in Cebu
City prior to joining the presidential race, the then-mayor of Davao
City called for the creation of two federal states for Moro people as
a solution to the problems besetting Mindanao. Mayor Duterte said that
Nur Misuari and his Moro National Liberation Front do not see
eye-to-eye with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which the
administration of President Benigno Aquino III had inked a peace deal
with. He also said that the "template of the Bangsamoro Basic Law is
federal", but what is granted to the Bangsamoro should also be granted
to other Moro groups and other regions in the country. In a dialogue
with the Makati Business Club prior to the elections, Duterte said he
is open to "toning down the Constitution" to accommodate more foreign
investors to the Philippines. He also said he is open to up to 70
percent foreign ownership of businesses in the country and foreign
lease of lands up to 60 years, but will "leave it to Congress to
decide".


 Election to the presidency 
============================
On May 30, 2016, the 16th Congress of the Philippines proclaimed
Duterte as the president-elect of the Philippines after he topped the
official count by the Congress of the Philippines for the 2016
presidential election with 16,601,997 votes, 6.6 million more than his
closest rival, Mar Roxas. Camarines Sur representative Leni Robredo on
the other hand, was proclaimed as the vice president-elect of the
Philippines with 14,418,817 votes, narrowly defeating Senator Bongbong
Marcos by 263,473 votes.


 Early actions 
===============
Duterte was inaugurated as the sixteenth president of the Philippines
on June 30, 2016, succeeding Benigno Aquino III. At age 71, Duterte
became the oldest person elected to the presidency, the first local
chief executive to get elected straight to the Office of the
President, the second Cebuano president (after Sergio Osmeña), and the
first Visayan president from Mindanao.

Shortly after his inauguration, Duterte held his first Cabinet meeting
to lay out their first agenda, which included the country's disaster
risk reduction management, decongesting Ninoy Aquino International
Airport in Manila; he also expressed his ideas and concerns regarding
the territorial disputes in the South China Sea prior to the
announcement of the verdict of the Philippines' arbitration case
against China over the issue, which the Philippines later won. On July
4, he issued his first executive order, allowing his Cabinet Secretary
to supervise over several agencies that focus on poverty reduction. He
called for the reimposition of capital punishment in the country to
execute criminals involved in "heinous" crimes, such as illegal drug
trade, insisting on hanging.

During his first 100 days in office, Duterte issued an executive order
on freedom of information, launched an intensified campaign against
illegal drugs, sought to resume peace talks with communist insurgents,
formulated a comprehensive tax reform plan, led efforts to pass the
Bangsamoro Basic Law, made efforts to streamline government
transactions, launched the nationwide 9-1-1 rescue and 8888 complaint
hotlines, established a one-stop service center for overseas Filipino
workers, and increased in the combat and incentive pay of soldiers and
police personnel.

Duterte made moves to limit US visiting troops in the country, and has
reached out to China and Russia to improve relations. He launched
tirades against international critics, particularly, United States
President Barack Obama, the US government, the United Nations, and the
European Union, which expressed condemnation to his unprecedented war
on drugs that led to the deaths of about 3,300 people, half of which
were killed by unknown assailants, and the arrest of 22,000 drug
suspects and surrender of about 731,000 people.


Following the September 2 bombing in Davao City that killed 14 people
in the city's central business district, on September 3 Duterte
declared a "state of lawlessness", and on the following day issued
Proclamation No. 55 to officially declare a "state of national
emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao". On December 7,
Duterte signed Executive Order No. 10 creating a consultative
committee to review the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines.

Duterte adjusted to working and residing at the Malacañang Palace by
dividing his workweek between Manila and Davao City, spending three
days in each city and utilizing the Malacañang of the South while in
Davao.

A Pulse Asia survey conducted from July 2-8 showed that Duterte had a
trust rating of 91%, the highest of the six presidents since the
Marcos dictatorship. In December 2016, Duterte was ranked 70th on
'Forbes' list of The World's Most Powerful People.


 Economic policy 
=================
Duterte's socioeconomic policies, referred to as 'DuterteNomics',
include tax reform, infrastructure development, social protection
programs, and other policies to promote economic growth and human
development in the country. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has
said that the government required what he describes as an "audacious"
economic strategy in order for the Philippines to "catch up with its
more vibrant neighbors" by 2022 and help it achieve high-income
economy status within a generation. The term 'DuterteNomics' was
coined to describe the economic policy of the Duterte administration.

Duterte initiated liberal economic reforms to attract foreign
investors. In March 2022, he signed Republic Act No. 11647 which
amended the Foreign Investment Act of 1991, effectively relaxing
restrictions on foreign investments by allowing foreigners to invest
in a local enterprise up to 100% of its capital. He signed Republic
Act No. 11659, amending the 85-year-old Public Service Act, allowing
full foreign ownership of public services, which include airports,
expressways, railways, telecommunications, and shipping industries, in
the country.

Duterte reformed the country's tax system in an effort to make the
country's tax system fairer, simpler, and more efficient. In December
2017, he signed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (TRAIN
Law) which excludes those earning an annual taxable income of 250,000
and below from paying the personal income tax, while raising higher
excise taxes on vehicles, sugar-sweetened beverages, petroleum
products, tobacco and other non-essential goods. Revenues collected
from the TRAIN law will help fund the administration's massive
infrastructure program. In March 2021, to attract more investments and
maintain fiscal stability, Duterte signed the Corporate Recovery and
Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, reducing the 30 percent
corporate income tax rate to 25 percent for firms with assets above
and to 20 percent for smaller firms. Duterte raised sin taxes on
tobacco and vapor products in July 2019, and alcohol beverages and
electronic cigarettes in January 2020, to fund the Universal Health
Care Act and reduce incidence of deaths and diseases associated with
smoking and alcohol consumption.


 Infrastructure development 
============================
To reduce poverty, encourage economic growth, and reduce congestion in
Metro Manila, the Duterte administration launched its comprehensive
infrastructure program, Build, Build, Build, on April 18, 2017. The
program, which forms part of the administration's socioeconomic
policy, aimed to usher in the country's "Golden Age of Infrastructure"
by increasing the share of spending on public infrastructure in the
country's gross domestic product (GDP) from 5.4 percent in 2017 to 7.4
percent in 2022. The administration, in 2017, shifted its
infrastructure funding policy from public-private partnerships (PPPs)
of previous administrations to government revenues and official
development assistance (ODA), particularly from Japan and China, but
has since October 2019 engaged with the private sector for additional
funding.

The administration revised its list of Infrastructure Flagship
Projects (IFPs) under the Build, Build, Build program from 75 to 100
in November 2019, then to 104, and finally, to 112 in 2020, expanding
its scope to include health, information and communications
technology, and water infrastructure projects to support the country's
economic growth and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Some major
projects include the Subic-Clark Railway, the North-South Commuter
Railway from New Clark City to Calamba, Laguna, the Metro Manila
Subway, the expansion of Clark International Airport the Mindanao
Railway (Tagum-Davao-Digos Segment), and the Luzon Spine Expressway
Network By April 2022, 12 IFPs have been completed by the
administration, while 88 IFPs, which were on their "advanced stage",
have been passed on to the succeeding administration for completion.

From June 2016 to July 2021, a total of 29264 km of roads, 5,950
bridges, 11,340 flood control projects, 222 evacuation centers, and
150,149 elementary and secondary classrooms, and 653 COVID-19
facilities under the Build, Build, Build program had been completed.


 War on drugs 
==============
Following his inauguration, Duterte started a nationwide anti-drug
campaign, urging the Filipinos, including the New People's Army to
join the fight against illegal drugs. According to former Philippine
National Police Chief and future senator Ronald dela Rosa, the policy
is aimed at "the neutralization of illegal drug personalities
nationwide". Estimates of the death toll vary. Officially, 5,100 drug
personalities have been killed as of January 2019. Some news
organizations and human rights groups claim the death toll is over
12,000. or over 20,000.

Duterte campaigned to eliminate illegal drugs in the country within
three to six months, but later admitted he miscalculated the gravity
of the drug problem after taking office as he based his approach to
that of Davao City during his tenure as the city's mayor. He cited the
difficulty in border control against illegal drugs due to the
country's long coastline and lamented that government officials and
law enforcers themselves were involved in the drug trade.

Part of the Duterte administration's strategy on anti-illegal drugs is
the Barangay Drug Clearing Program, which aims to eradicate illegal
drugs in the country's remaining drug-affected barangays. , the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency reported that a total of  out of
the 42,045 barangays have been declared drug-cleared,  barangays were
drug unaffected/drug-free, while  have yet to be cleared of illegal
drugs.


 Mindanao insurgency 
=====================
Duterte has said that Moro dignity is what the MILF and MNLF are
struggling for, and that they are not terrorists. He acknowledged that
the Moros were subjected to wrongdoing, historical and in territory.

Duterte was endorsed in the election by Moro National Liberation Front
(MNLF) leader Nur Misuari due to his background in Mindanao. Other
Muslims also supported Duterte and denounced Roxas, the
Aquino-supported pick.

On November 6, 2016, Duterte signed an executive order to expand the
Bangsamoro Transition Commission to 21 members from 15, in which 11
will be decided by the MILF and 10 will be nominated by the
government. The commission was formed in December 2013 and is tasked
to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law in accordance with the Framework
Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law on July 26, 2018, which
abolished the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and provided for
the basic structure of government for the Bangsamoro Autonomous
Region, following the agreements set forth in the Comprehensive
Agreement on the Bangsamoro peace agreement signed between the
Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in
2014.

Duterte oversaw the five-month long Battle of Marawi starting May
2017, declaring martial law throughout Mindanao and extending it for
two years to ensure order in the island. In June 2017, Duterte ordered
the creation of an inter-agency task force to facilitate the
rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction efforts in the
conflict-torn city.

In July 2020, Duterte signed the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of
2020, which aims to give more surveillance powers to government forces
in order to curb terror threats and acts.

Duterte signed proclamations granting amnesty to members of the Moro
National Liberation Front, and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in
February 2021.


 Communist insurgency 
======================
Duterte initially pursued peace talks with the Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP) and appointed several left-leaning individuals to
government positions, but cancelled all negotiations in February 2017
following attacks and kidnapping of soldiers by New Peoples Army (NPA)
rebels, officially declaring the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization.
Several officials with leftist affiliations initially appointed by
Duterte have either resigned, been fired, or rejected by the
Commission on Appointments.

Duterte created the Task Force Balik-Loob in April 2018 for the
reintegration of former communist rebels. In December 2018, he ordered
the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed
Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and institutionalized a "whole-of-nation
approach" in combating extremism and terrorism.

Duterte officially announced the permanent termination of the peace
negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF on March 21, 2019, and said the
communist rebels' call for land reform is already being done under his
administration. On June 23, 2021, the Anti-Terrorism Council
designated the National Democratic Front (NDF) as a terrorist
organization, citing it as an "integral and inseparable part" of the
CPP-NPA.

On November 29, 2021, the NTF-ELCAC reported that a total of 20,579
communist rebels surrendered since the start of the Duterte
administration.


 Energy and climate 
====================
The Duterte administration initially adopted a "technology neutral"
policy in energy generation. Earlier in his term, Duterte stressed
that coal remains the most viable source of energy if the Philippines
is to accelerate industrialization, and questioned the sanctions
imposed by the United States and European Union on smaller countries
including the Philippines when the country's carbon footprint is not
significant compared to the superpowers.

The administration shifted its energy policy to prefer renewable
sources of energy later in Duterte's term. At his fourth State of the
Nation address in July 2019, Duterte issued an order to cut coal
dependence and hasten a transition to renewable energy. In October
2020, the energy department issued a moratorium on the construction of
new coal power plants and favored renewable energy sources. On
February 28, 2022, Duterte issued an executive order approving the
inclusion of nuclear power in the country's energy mix.

To hasten the expansion of the nation's power capacity, Duterte
established the inter-agency Energy Investment Coordinating Council
tasked with simplifying and streamlining the approval process of
big-ticket projects. On January 21, 2022, he signed a law promoting
the use of microgrid systems in unserved and underserved areas to
accelerate total electrification of the country. The administration
made initiatives to liberalize the energy sector, allowing 100%
foreign ownership in large-scale geothermal projects starting October
2020.

Duterte signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in March 2017,
after initially having misgivings about the deal which he says might
limit the country's industrialization. The Agreement was ratified by
the Senate on March 15, 2017. Duterte said that rich countries
producing the most carbon emissions must pay smaller countries for
damage caused by climate change.


 Government streamlining 
=========================
Duterte introduced reforms to eliminate red tape in the government,
and ordered government agencies to remove all processes which are
"redundant or burdensome" to the public. Three weeks after assuming
office, he issued his second executive order establishing Freedom of
Information, allowing citizens to obtain documents and records from
public offices under the executive branch to promote transparency in
the government.

In May 2018, Duterte signed the Ease of Doing Business Act which aims
to create a better business environment by reducing processing time,
cutting bureaucratic red tape, and eliminating corrupt practices in
all government agencies. In December 2020, he enacted a law
authorizing the President to expedite the processing and issuance of
national and local permits, licenses, and certifications, by
suspending its requirements, in times of national emergency.

Duterte institutionalized the 8888 Citizens' Complaint Hotline in
October 2016, allowing the public to report complaints on poor
government front-line services and corrupt practices in all government
agencies.


 Health care 
=============
Duterte vowed to improve the health care system, certifying the
Universal Healthcare Bill as an urgent measure as early as July 2018.
In February 2019, he signed the Universal Health Care Act, which
automatically enrolls all Filipinos under the government's health
insurance program. He also enacted the National Integrated Cancer
Control Act which establishes a "national integrated" program to
control and prevent cancer by making treatment more accessible and
affordable, and the Philippine Mental Health Law, which provides free
mental health services down to the barangay level while requiring
hospitals to provide psychiatric, psychosocial and neurologic
services.

In December 2019, Duterte signed a law institutionalizing Malasakit
Centers in all hospitals run by the Department of Health, allowing
indigent patients to efficiently access financial medical assistance
from various government agencies.

Duterte ordered the full implementation of the Reproductive Health
Law, banned smoking in public places nationwide, and set a price cap
on select medicines.


 Education 
===========
Duterte signed the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act
in August 2017, providing free college education in all state
universities and colleges nationwide. He signed a law establishing
transnational higher education in the country, allowing foreign
universities to offer degree programs in the Philippines in an effort
to bring international quality standards and expertise into the
country. He also signed medical scholarships for deserving students in
state universities and colleges or partner private higher education
institutions through the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act on December 23,
2020.

Duterte approved in January 2021 a law institutionalizing the
alternative learning system (ALS), providing free education to those
out of school. In March 2022, he enacted a law granting inclusive
education for learners with disabilities.

On June 9, 2020, Duterte signed a law establishing the country's first
National Academy of Sports in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac.


 Foreign policy 
================
The Duterte administration has vowed to pursue what it describes as an
"independent foreign policy" that would reject any meddling by foreign
governments, reiterating Article II, Section 7 of the 1987
Constitution which states: "The State shall pursue an independent
foreign policy. In its relations with other states the paramount
consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity,
national interest, and the right to self-determination." In September
2016, Duterte said: "We will observe and must insist on the
time-honored principle of sovereignty, sovereign equality,
non-interference and the commitment of peaceful settlements of dispute
that will serve our people and protect the interests of our country."

Duterte made his first international trips as president to Vientiane,
Laos and Jakarta, Indonesia on September 5-9, 2016.

Duterte pursued improved relations with China and Russia, and lessened
the country's dependence on its traditional ally - the United States.
He has adopted a cautious, pragmatic, and conciliatory stance towards
China compared to his predecessor, and has set aside the previous
administration's confrontational policy of asserting the Philippines'
claims over the South China Sea and its islands.


 Criticisms 
============
President Duterte and his administration have been criticized for his
anti-drug campaign, foreign policies, human rights record,
extrajudicial killings during his term, political views, and
controversial comments. Despite the criticisms on his administration,
Duterte had relatively high domestic trust and approval ratings,
receiving in the first half of his six-year term a record net
satisfaction rating of 68% Duterte's approval rating was at 79% in
April 2019 and an 87% approval rating on a December 2019 survey
conducted by Pulse Asia. Duterte and his administration also got high
approval ratings in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.


 Anti-drug campaign 
====================
Duterte's anti-drug campaign has been criticized both locally and
internationally. Senator Risa Hontiveros, a political opponent of
Duterte, said that the drug war was a political strategy intended to
persuade people that "suddenly the historically most important issue
of poverty was no longer the most important."

Various international publications and media companies had claimed
that Duterte's "War on Drugs" was a war against the poor due to the
abject poverty of those arrested or killed. On June 19, 2018, 38
United Nations member states released a collective statement through
the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), calling on the
Philippines and President Duterte to end the killings in its war on
drugs and cooperate in probing in investigating human rights abuses.

Duterte believes that the number of deaths are a measure of his
success in his war against drugs, and despite constant criticism of
his war on drugs, Duterte had staunchly defended his administration's
efforts at getting rid of "filth" from the streets. A large number of
Filipinos support Duterte's war on drugs, with a 2019 SWS survey
showing 82% of 1,200 interviewed Filipinos were "overwhelmingly
satisfied" due to "the perception of less drugs and crime in the
country". In August 2017, Duterte admitted his mistake in trying to
end drugs in six months, and it would take him his entire term to end
it.


 Human rights concerns 
=======================
Human Rights Watch (HRW) called the first year of Duterte in office a
"human rights calamity". HRW estimates that there has been 7,000
deaths from the day Duterte first took office to January 2017. The
Duterte administration suspended the drug war in February 2017 in an
effort to cleanse the police ranks of supposed corruption, also
halting the disclosure of figures on deaths related to drug arrests
and raids. In March 2017, HRW released a special investigation and
report on the state of police related shooting, titled "License To
Kill". 'The New York Times' had also released a video documentary
"When A President Says I'll Kill You", which depicts Duterte's war on
drugs through a local photographer's eyes. On August 17, 2017, HRW
called Duterte a threat to the human rights community after he made
threats against human rights activists.

In January 2020, the International Criminal Court confirmed that an
investigation into Duterte's involvement with the death squads was
ongoing, despite the Philippines having withdrawn from the ICC two
years prior, because it continued to have jurisdiction over crimes
committed when the country was still a member. Duterte had withdrawn
the country just one month after the opening of the investigation. In
September 2021, the ICC authorized an official probe after reviewing
evidence related to at least 204 victims.


 COVID-19 pandemic 
===================
Members of the opposition have criticized the government's efforts
against the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The first case of
SARS-CoV-2 infection in the Philippines was confirmed on January 30,
2020, triggering outrage on local social media platforms over the
government's alleged "inaction". Other criticisms include Duterte's
remarks of ordering to "shoot" persons who violate quarantine
protocols and the delay of the vaccines to arrive in the Philippines
were also condemned.

In May 2021, Duterte was criticized for publicly taking the Sinopharm
BIBP vaccine before it was approved for use by the Philippine Food and
Drug Administration, when the general population had access only to a
limited supply of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and
lower efficacy CoronaVac vaccines from Sinovac.


 International policy 
======================
Militant groups decry the ties between President Duterte and China
over the Chinese occupation of contested waters and the reported
harassment of the fishermen amidst the territorial disputes in the
South China Sea. Also, while the United States is one of the countries
critical to Philippine drug war campaign,See the following citations:

most of the militant groups - particularly left-wing groups - also
criticize Philippine-US relations due to the United States'
"imperialism"(from 0:24) Damay din ang pati watawat ng Amerika, dahil
imperyalista rin daw sila.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM92sKqAYr0 Bandila: Ilang
estudyante, nagsunog ng watawat ng China sa pagtatapos ng bisita ni Xi
Jinping] and neoliberal policies.


 Tax reform 
============
Duterte's tax reform program has garnered both support and criticism.
Critics have argued that the administration's tax policy would burden
the poor. The implementation of the TRAIN Law triggered protests from
various left-wing groups. On January 15, 2018, protesters gathered at
various public market sites, calling for the revocation of TRAIN.
However, proponents of the program cite its appeal to foreign
investors and economic benefits as the main reasons behind tax reform.


 Controversial remarks 
=======================
Duterte's record on human rights and his long history of comments that
have widely been considered to be offensive, provocative, threatening,
and undiplomatic have received sharp international criticism. He has
been portrayed by his critics in the media as having a "dirty mouth".
He had, however, promised to behave in a "prim and proper" manner on
the national and international stage once he was to be inaugurated as
president, to the point that, "almost, I would become holy."

Throughout his presidency, Duterte has made controversial comments
about rape, human rights, his views on media killings, and has used
slurs; he has also made controversial statements to international
leaders and institutions. He has also repeatedly criticized the
Catholic Church which has expressed alarm over deaths linked to the
war on drugs.


 2022 Philippine presidential election 
=======================================
In an earlier June 8 interview with pastor Apollo Quiboloy on SMNI
News Channel, Duterte stated that he "sees nobody deserving" to
replace him as next Philippine President, but that he would either
remain neutral or endorse a candidate. In June 2021, Duterte stated he
may run in the 2022 Philippine presidential election as Vice
President.

Critics raised the possibility of Duterte extending his term after he
announced his candidacy for vice president. The PDP-Laban Cusi faction
fielded former Philippine National Police chief and Senator Ronald
dela Rosa as president, who was widely suspected to be a placeholder
for Duterte's daughter, Davao City mayor Sara Duterte. On October 2,
2021, Duterte withdrew his candidacy and announced his retirement from
politics, with long-time aide and Senator Bong Go replacing him as the
vice presidential candidate.

On November 13, 2021, hours after Sara unexpectedly decided instead to
run as vice president under the Lakas-CMD party, dela Rosa withdrew
and was replaced by Go. Duterte later backtracked on his planned
retirement and announced his plan to run for vice president as an
expression of dismay for Sara's decision to settle for the vice
presidential race when polls showed she was the preferred candidate
for presidency. He later withdrew after deciding not to face his
daughter in the vice presidential race, and instead announced his
intent on running as senator, while endorsing a Go-Sara tandem.

Sara, however, decided to run in tandem with Bongbong Marcos, who
announced his presidential candidacy. Go expressed his disinterest in
the presidential position and said his heart and mind contradicted his
actions. On December 14, 2021, hours after Go withdrew his candidacy
for president, Duterte officially withdrew his senate bid.

Duterte remained influential before the national elections as several
presidential candidates were open to his endorsement due to his high
popularity. Allies of Duterte endorsed different candidates after the
Cusi faction was left without a standard bearer following Go's
withdrawal. The PDP-Laban Cusi faction endorsed presidential candidate
Marcos, with some officials calling for Duterte to do the same.
Duterte, however, insisted on endorsing only Sara as vice president
and 17 senatorial candidates, and stressed that he will remain
neutral, deciding not to endorse any presidential bet and prohibiting
his Cabinet members from campaigning for any candidate to avoid
suspicion that he will use public funds for his preferred successor's
campaign and to prevent cabinet members from compromising their
integrity. Duterte said the next president should be decisive,
compassionate, a good judge of a person, and preferably, a lawyer,
which a PDP-Laban official interpreted as a "virtual endorsement" for
his rival, Vice President Leni Robredo, who also decided to run for
president. In March 2022, Go said Duterte briefly met with Marcos and
gave him advice on the presidency, but could not say whether Duterte
gave Marcos an endorsement.

On May 5, 2022, Duterte created a transition committee led by
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to oversee the transition of
power to the next administration. According to analysts, Duterte's
popularity was "inherited" by Marcos and Sara, who both won landslides
in the election.


                    Post-presidency (2022–present)                    
======================================================================
At the end of his term, Duterte returned to Davao City and kept a low
profile until January 2023, when he resumed hosting his weekly show,
(From the Masses, For The Masses), on SMNI.

In an informal meeting in September 2023, former president and
congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo convinced Duterte to be active
in politics again.


 2023 visit to China 
=====================
Under the Bongbong Marcos administration, which sought to gravitate
towards the United States and expanded the number of bases American
troops can access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement,
relations between the Philippines and China became tense. In July
2023, Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a surprise meeting
in Beijing; Xi called on Duterte to continue to "play an important
role" in improving Philippine-China relations. Duterte later discussed
with Marcos in Malacañang Palace his meeting with Xi and gave advice
to Marcos.


 Feud with the House and criticism of Marcos Jr. 
=================================================
A rift between the Duterte and Marcos families had begun under House
Speaker Martin Romualdez' leadership. In October 2023, Duterte's
daughter, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte
requested Congress for the allocation of confidential funds for the
office of the vice president (OVP) and the education department which
can be used for the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. Congress
rejected Sara's request but swiftly approved the confidential funds of
the Office of the President, leading the elder Duterte to allege that
Romualdez and the Makabayan bloc are behind a plot against his
daughter. Duterte criticized the House of Representatives as the "most
rotten institution" in the country, saying the House enjoyed
"unlimited" pork barrel funds and demanding an audit of the House
under Romualdez; Duterte's comments offended some House members
including Romualdez, prompting the House to issue a loyalty check
resolution in support of Romualdez. Shortly after, the House expelled
Duterte's political allies former President and Congresswoman Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo and Congressman Isidro Ungab as Deputy House Speakers
for failing to sign the resolution. Several House members of Duterte's
party, PDP-Laban, party-switched, mostly to the Romualdez-led
Lakas-CMD, leaving only 15 PDP-Laban members from 120 at the height of
Duterte's presidency. After ACT Teachers Representative France Castro
of the Makabayan bloc pushed to remove the OVP and education
department's confidential funds, Duterte urged Sara to reveal the use
of such funds, which includes the supposed killing of communists such
as Castro. Castro then filed a legal case against Duterte for labeling
her as a communist rebel and allegedly threatening her life. Duterte
had not appeared at the investigation twice, and Castro's legal case
has later been denied by the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office due to
"lack of sufficient evidence".

In late November 2023, Duterte said he will be forced to run for Vice
President or Senator after reports circulated that some House members
want Vice President Sara impeached. The House began tackling at least
three house resolutions filed separately by the Makabayan Bloc, House
Human Rights Panel chairperson and Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido
Abante Jr. and 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, and
Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman urging the Marcos administration
to cooperate with the International Criminal Court's investigation
into Duterte's war on drugs; Romualdez denied prioritizing the
measures.

During a rally against proposed constitutional reform in Davao City on
January 28, 2024, Duterte accused Marcos of plotting to extend his
term beyond the current term limit of the Constitution and of being a
drug addict, a claim he had made during Marcos' presidential campaign.
Marcos responded by attributing Duterte's remarks to the effects of
fentanyl, an opioid Duterte used to relieve pain caused by injuries
after a motorcycle accident; Duterte later dared Marcos to undergo a
drug test with him at Luneta Park. Frustrated on how the government
uses resources and taxpayers' money, Duterte later revived an
initiative Davao del Norte 1st district Representative and former
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez advocated for the island of Mindanao
to secede from the Philippines; he said that he had instructed Alvarez
to collect signatures as part of the campaign. Duterte's declaration
drew disapproval from several lawmakers and former Muslim rebels. On
February 27, Duterte retracted his calls for the secession, saying
that it was a bluff and a "joke" to get the attention of "Manila"; he
further explained that he does not want the Philippines to be
dismembered, and that he wanted "a better deal for Mindanao".


 "Hakbang ng Maisug" 
=====================
In July, 2024, Duterte criticized the Bongbong Marcos administration's
curtailment of the freedom of speech in violation of the 1987 Bill of
Rights. Duterte lamented the concerted efforts of the Marcos
administration to thwart his nationwide  (brave) prayer rallies.
Duterte clarified that the prayer rallies were to express the people's
grievances and not to overthrow the government.

Prayer rallies in Dumaguete, Tagum, and Angeles pushed through.
However, planned rallies at Malolos, Tacloban, and Bustos, Bulacan
were cancelled, allegedly due to the Marcos administration's intense
efforts to thwart the events. In spite of these events, Duterte said
he prayed for Marcos to survive until the end of his term since
Duterte expressed disinterest in himself or Sara taking over the
presidency.


 SMNI suspension and KJC estate administrator 
==============================================
In December 2023, the Movie and Television Review and Classification
Board (MTRCB) suspended for 14 days two shows of media network SMNI
that included Duterte's platform 'Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa' over
complaints that a death threat to leftist ACT Teachers party-list
Representative France Castro was allegedly made by Duterte in the
show. Reacting to the temporary suspension, Duterte said "A temporary
preventive suspension is by itself already a censorship. , you're
censored". Two days later, the National Telecommunications Commission
suspended SMNI for 30 days after the House of Representatives adopted
a resolution filed by PBA Partylist Representative Margarita Nograles,
who claimed that the network was propagating false information.
Duterte said he wanted to speak with Bongbong Marcos about the
suspension as it has affected his program 'Gikan sa Masa, Para sa
Masa'. On January 23, 2024, the NTC made the suspension indefinite, on
grounds that SMNI did not comply with the suspension order; SMNI later
challenged the NTC cease and desist orders before the Supreme Court.

On March 9, 2024, Duterte was appointed as estate administrator of the
properties of religious sect Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) after
California Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr.—upon the request of the US
Attorney General Criminal Division—ordered the unsealing of the arrest
warrants against KJC leader, Apollo Quiboloy, who is hiding from
possible arrest by US authorities for alleged cases of sex
trafficking, rape, fraud, and cash smuggling.


 Plunder charges by Trillanes 
==============================
In July 2024, former Senator and Duterte's staunch critic Antonio
Trillanes IV filed plunder charges against Duterte and Bong Go,
accusing Go of "unduly enriching himself" by allegedly using "his
position, authority and influence to corner billions worth of
government projects in favor of his father and brother". Trillanes
further alleged that Go's father and brother were awarded 6.6 billion
worth of government contracts. Trillanes based his case on a
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism 2018 report stating
that CLTG Builders was awarded 4.6 billion government contracts while
Alfrego Builders, owned by Go's brother, won 1.74 billion worth of
projects. Trillanes also accused Duterte and Go of violating Republic
Act No. 3019 (The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Republic
Act No. 6713 (The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public
Officials and Employees).


                             Public image                             
======================================================================
Ardent supporters of Duterte have been labeled as "Diehard Duterte
Supporters", alternatively known as "Digong Duterte Supporters", which
shares the acronym with the Davao Death Squad (DDS). This label has
been applied to the 16 million people who voted for him in the 2016
presidential election.

Duterte developed a reputation as a "protector" and "savior" in his
hometown of Davao City as mayor of the city for more than two decades.
This is despite reports of death squads in the city.
Duterte has been described as a populist, with his foul-mouthed
remarks against the country's elite which positioned him as a "man of
the people" as critical to his victory in the 2016 presidential
election. He has also been compared to U.S. President Donald Trump for
his rhetorical style.

Throughout his career, Duterte's remained hugely popular, attributed
to his man-of-the-people style and a perception of strong leadership
and success in fighting crime and corruption, while opponents reproach
him for his authoritarian style and low tolerance of dissent. Analysts
attribute his continued popularity to his emotional connection to the
public, citing his charisma and humor, tough-talking manner, his image
as a father figure as  (Father Digong), and Filipinos' general
interest in strong leaders.

A Social Weather Stations study concluded that there are multiple
reasons for Duterte's high satisfaction ratings in surveys; these
include his strong base support, satisfaction with the
administration's overall governance ('pamamalakad') and with some
policy issues which include helping the poor and the drug war, and his
character. Poll respondents who relate to or are attracted to some
aspects of his character, such as his perceived decisiveness and
diligence tend to be satisfied. On the other hand, those who feel he
is vulgar ('bastos') tend to be less satisfied.

Despite keeping a low profile during his post-presidency, Duterte
retained his popularity, topping four consecutive surveys conducted
separately in March, June, September, and December 2023 by PUBLiCUS
Asia on the voting disposition for 2025 Philippine Senate election.


 Supporters 
============
Several other Facebook groups with the acronym "DDS" supported Duterte
as early as 2011. Among these groups is the Duterte Defense Squad,
which was created on July 5, 2011. Other examples include Digong
Duterte Supporters-Registered Nurses Group, Duterte's Destiny is to
Serve the Country, Digong Duterte Swerte (lit. Digong Duterte is
(Good) Luck), and Davsur Duterte Supporters. In 2015, members of the
various groups urged Duterte to run for president.


 Approval ratings 
==================
SWS Net satisfaction ratings of
Date	 Rating
Sep 2016	+64
Dec 2016	+63
Mar 2017	+63
Jun 2017	+66
Sep 2017	+48
Dec 2017	+58
Mar 2018	+56
Jun 2018	+45
Sep 2018	+54
Dec 2018	+60
Mar 2019	+66
Jun 2019	+68
Sep 2019	+65
Dec 2019	+72
Nov 2020	+79
May 2021	+65
Jun 2021	+62
Sep 2021	+52
Dec 2021	+60
Apr 2022	+65
**Average**
| **averagerating**
Jun 2022	+81

Duterte's approval rating has been relatively high throughout his
presidency despite criticism and international opposition to his
anti-narcotics drive. Two weeks into Duterte's presidency, on July 13,
2016, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) conducted the first survey on
his presidency since his inauguration on June 30, where Duterte
received an "excellent" trust rating of 79% among 1,200 adults
nationwide. A week later, on July 20, Pulse Asia released a poll
conducted on July 2-8 showing 91% of Filipinos trust Duterte, making
him the most trusted official in the Philippines since 1999. Duterte's
net satisfaction rating plunged to its lowest at 45% in July 2018,
which recovered to 54% in September 2018, and 60% in December 2018.

Duterte finished the first half of his six-year term with a record net
satisfaction rating of 68%. An SWS survey conducted in April 2019 puts
Duterte's approval ratings at 79%, higher than any of his predecessors
at this stage in their presidencies. Duterte earned an approval rating
of 87% on a December 2019 survey conducted by Pulse Asia; this is
credited to poverty reduction and the general success in hosting the
2019 SEA Games.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a Pulse Asia September 2020 "" ("Report to
the Nation Survey"), showed that 84% of Filipinos approve of the
government's work to control the spread of the coronavirus disease and
the government efforts in assisting those who lost their jobs due to
the pandemic; the same survey showed that 92% of survey respondents
said that Duterte has "done well" in preventing the spread of COVID-19
in the country. Duterte's approval rating rose to 60% in December 2021
higher than the 52% rating in September 2021, and slightly lower than
the 62% rating in June 2021; the survey also noted higher net
satisfaction among those vaccinated and those willing to get
vaccinated.

Duterte retained his high approval and trust ratings toward the end of
his term, according to a PUBLiCUS Asia survey conducted between March
30 to April 6, 2022; the survey showed 67.2% of the 1,500 respondents
approved of Duterte's performance over the past 12 months, while only
15.2% disapproved. Another survey conducted in 2021 by WR Numero
Research revealed that 54.59% of voters want soft continuity of the
Duterte's policies, 29.57% want full continuity, while only 15.84%
preferred change.

Duterte left office with his highest net satisfaction rating of 81%,
according to an SWS survey held between June 26 to 29, 2022. A
nationwide survey of 1,500 respondents conducted by PUBLiCUS Asia
between June 16 to 22, during Duterte's last month in office, revealed
that Duterte is the most popular post-EDSA president, receiving 75%
approval of his performance during his six-year tenure, while only 10%
expressed disapproval.


                           Political views                            
======================================================================
Duterte described himself as left-leaning during his campaign and
presidency, but has stressed that he is for democracy and is not a
communist.

Duterte was a member of the leftist Kabataang Makabayan during the
1970s and was a student of prominent Philippine leftist figure and
founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Jose Maria Sison.
However, his relationship with the communists deteriorated during his
presidency due to continued rebel attacks on soldiers despite the
peace talks.


                            Personal life                             
======================================================================
Duterte is known for being an avid fan of big bikes, but detests
luxury cars. He once owned a second-hand Harley-Davidson and a Yamaha
Virago. He was once a habitual smoker, but he eventually quit after a
doctor's suggestion due to health concerns. Duterte is an avid reader
of Robert Ludlum and Sidney Sheldon novels. Duterte is also known for
his straightforward and vocal attitude in public, especially in
interviews, showing no hesitation in profusely using profanity live
on-screen on numerous occasions despite formal requests by media
groups and schools beforehand to abstain.

Duterte has his own local show in Davao City called 'Gikan sa Masa,
para sa Masa' ("From the Masses, For the Masses"), which formerly
aired as a blocktimer on ABS-CBN Davao, and currently broadcast on
SMNI News Channel since 2023. He is also a member of Lex Talionis
Fraternitas, a fraternity based in the San Beda College of Law and the
Ateneo de Davao University.

Aside from his native Cebuano, Duterte is also fluent in Filipino and
English.

While criticizing political opponent Antonio Trillanes in a 2019
speech, Duterte said that he was once gay but had "cured himself"
before meeting his partner Elizabeth Zimmerman.

Since being the mayor of Davao City, Duterte has held an annual
tradition of visiting children with cancer in the city and giving them
Christmas gifts.


 Family 
========
Duterte's father, Vicente, died in 1968 while his mother, Soledad,
died on February 4, 2012, at the age of 95. Duterte's then partner
Elizabeth Abellana Zimmerman was diagnosed with stage III breast
cancer in 2015.

Until 2000 Duterte was married to Elizabeth Zimmerman, a flight
attendant of Jewish and German American descent from Davao City. She
traces her roots in Tuburan, Cebu. They together have three children
(from eldest to youngest): Paolo ("Pulong"), Sara ("Inday Sara") and
Sebastian ("Baste"). Paolo and Sara entered politics while Baste, with
no interest in politics, concentrated on business and surfing but
eventually ran and won as Davao City Vice Mayor in 2019. Sara was
elected as Vice President in 2022.

Duterte has been publicly open about his infidelity and philandering
while married to Zimmerman and cited it as the reason for his failed
first marriage when asked in interviews. In 1998, Zimmerman filed a
petition in the Regional Trial Court in Pasig to nullify her marriage.
Duterte never appeared in court and did not contest Zimmerman's
petition. Two years later, the court decided in her favor, ending the
27-year marriage of Duterte and Zimmerman. Duterte and Zimmerman have
been on good terms in recent years with Zimmerman stating, "Yes,
[Rodrigo] is really a very good leader. That is all he is. But when it
comes to family, he is not capable of taking care of it." In 2001,
Zimmerman eventually ran for a seat on the city council but lost.
Duterte and Zimmerman are said to have patched things up and appear to
be civil to each other, 15 years after their marriage was declared
null and void. Zimmerman eventually joined the campaign trail for
Duterte's presidential candidacy in early 2016 called 'Byaheng Du30'
in which she would travel by bus to major cities together with her
daughter Sara and a number of delegates.

Duterte is currently living with his common-law wife Cielito
"Honeylet" Avanceña, a nurse, with whom he has one daughter named
Veronica ("Kitty"). Duterte has eleven grandchildren, half of whom are
Muslims and the other half Christian, and two great-grandchildren.

On his paternal side, Duterte shares familial ties with some of the
prominent families of the Visayas, particularly the Almendrases and
Duranos of Danao, Cebu.


 Religion 
==========
Duterte has described himself as Christian in 2016 and "spiritual" in
2018, expressing that he "can't accept" Catholicism or organized
religion but also that he is neither an atheist nor an agnostic. He
has challenged the Catholic Church to show evidence of the existence
of God, while expressing his belief in "one Supreme God" and "a
universal mind somewhere which controls the universe". He has also
quipped that God can be "stupid". He has referred to God as Allah and
has been quoted as saying: "a part of me which is Islam".

Despite being raised as a communicant of the Catholic Church, on
January 19, 2016, while meeting with businessmen in Binondo, Manila,
Duterte clarified that he had not attended Mass for quite some time
already since he deemed it incompatible with his mayoral
responsibilities: "If I listened to the Ten Commandments or to the
priests," said Duterte, "I would not be able to do anything as a
mayor."

Duterte considers his close friend, pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the
Kingdom of Jesus Christ, as his spiritual adviser. Duterte would
become estate administrator of the properties KJC in March 2024
following Senate inquiries launched against the church and Quiboloy.


 Health 
========
Duterte has Buerger's disease, an inflammation of blood vessels,
mostly in the limbs, and Barrett's esophagus, wherein esophageal cells
are gradually replaced by gastrointestinal cells. He has denied rumors
of throat cancer.

Duterte admitted in December 2016 that he had been a user of the
addictive opioid drug Fentanyl. He said that a doctor prescribed the
drug to alleviate back pain and headaches, but that he would take more
than he was prescribed. Fentanyl is described by the US National
Institute on Drug Abuse as "a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that
is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent". Duterte
later denied that he was a drug addict, and a spokesman stated that he
was not affected by side-effects of the drug, which include confusion,
anxiety and hallucinations.

Duterte has boasted about his use of Viagra: "When I was young, I
could do overnight, which is more expensive. When I got old, I could
do short time only because I have such a short time left. After one
erection, that's it. No more. Without Viagra, it's even more
difficult."

A psychological assessment of Duterte was commissioned by Natividad
Dayan during Duterte's marriage annulment to Elizabeth Zimmerman in
July 1998. The result was that Duterte (then Davao City mayor) was
found to have "antisocial narcissistic personality disorder",
exemplified by "gross indifference, insensitivity and
self-centeredness", and a "grandiose sense of self-entitlement and
manipulative behaviours". According to the assessment, he had a
"pervasive tendency to demean, humiliate others and violate their
rights and feelings", and was "unable to reflect on the consequences
of his actions."

In a speech to the Filipino community in Russia, Duterte revealed that
he has myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease, which makes his eye
droop.


                          Honors and awards                           
======================================================================
Duterte declined an honorary doctor of laws degree offered by the
University of the Philippines amid opposition from members of the
university. On March 28, 2023, the Davao City Council passed a
resolution declaring every March 28—Duterte's birthday—as "Duterte
Day" in recognition for the "great and continuing contribution" of
Duterte to the city and the Philippines. Duterte received an honorary
Juris Doctor degree from his alma mater, San Beda College of Law, in
November 2023.


 National honors 
=================
* Knight Grand Cross of Rizal (KGCR) - (2017)
* Awards for Promoting Philippines-China Understanding (APPCU), Hall
of Fame - (2023)


 Foreign honors 
================
Duterte was conferred an honorary doctorate degree for international
relations or foreign diplomacy from the Moscow State Institute of
International Relations on October 5, 2019.

* Malaysia
** Johor: Grand Knight of The Most Esteemed Order of Sultan Ibrahim of
Johor, 1st Class (SMIJ) - Dato' (2019)
* Brunei
**Sultan of Brunei Golden Jubilee Medal - (2017)


                               See also                               
======================================================================
*List of presidents of the Philippines
*List of presidents of the Philippines by previous executive
experience
*Political positions of Rodrigo Duterte


                            External links                            
======================================================================
* [https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/05MANILA312_a.html MORE
VIGILANTE-STYLE KILLINGS REPORTED IN DAVAO CITY] Leaked US cable,
January 20, 2005
* [https://search.wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09MANILA1002_a.html DAVAO
OFFICIALS DENY VIGILANTE KILLINGS, BUT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BLAMES
MAYOR] Leaked cable to US Secretary of State, May 8, 2009
* [http://president.gov.ph 100 Days of Change: President Rodrigo
Duterte]


 License 
=========
All content on Gopherpedia comes from Wikipedia, and is licensed under CC-BY-SA
License URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Original Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodrigo_Duterte


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